Kung Fu Panda: Apocalypse Now
by Mitchicus
Summary: Po has always wanted to make a difference for his country. Now that there is a war raging in southeast asia, and his friend has alreay joined, he will go as well. His goal: to survive. Who knows, he may even find the love of his life on the way through all of the death and destruction of 'Nam. Rated M for extreme violence and language.
1. Leaving Home and the Battle of Ia Drang

**Kung Fu Panda: Apocalypse Now **by

Mitchicus

Chapter 1: Leaving Home and the Battle of Ia Drang

**A/N: I am touching a subject that is very sensitive for many people…especially when I put fictional, animal characters in the places of true heroes. I do however want to make plain that this story is made to for entertainment, yet I want to tell of heroes who were never recognized for their valor. God bless our vets and America. I put these quotes in to get my point across, show the views of those who served, and to respect those for their service. I have nothing against the people of Vietnam. The US fought to rid that country of communism, and we withdrew instead of finishing the fight. Please don't flame me about this being unrealistic or not historically accurate. This is for entertainment and I am **_**trying**_** to keep it as historical as possible. Please don't review if it's not positive or something that way. When it comes to the names of battles and who won, that is FACT. The story is named "Apocalypse Now" after a famous Vietnam War movie. The battle here has taken some aspects out of the movie "We Were Soldiers", which is a true story.**

"**I was a combat medic during that war and was involved in 2 battles. It is real... My life has never been** **the same since coming home and I have had many sleepless nights wondering "Why". I had many young men die in my arms and they are the true heroes. WE DID NOT LOSE THAT WAR! We won every major battle. It was the politicians who lost the war... That's the truth..." –Vietnam combat medic**

"**I am British. Allow me to thank the courageous men and women of the US Armed Forces, without whom ** **there would be no freedom." – Citizen of Great Britain**

"**A simple thank you such as you have given is all we Vietnam Veterans ever really wanted. That decade of the 60's was a terrible time for our country and the Vets were stuck right in the middle of a crazy war that nobody wanted to win. I** **am older and wiser now and can only give my support to the young troopers who are in Afghanistan and Iraq. I would only ask that you all do the same for their sakes. God Bless you all." – Vietnam Veteran**

"**Thank you very much for fighting for our freedom, I really appreciate it." – A patriotic American citizen**

**A/N: I have taken a movie and made it into something serious yet still entertaining. If you do not like what you read, please do not read it. This puts Po in the Sixties, meaning that in this story he never was in ancient China. I'm taking most of the characters from the movie, but some will be left out. For those of you, who are ready to journey into the Sixties as I tell you the stories of heroes, continue.**

A lone veteran sits in a chair. Medals for his service to his country are hung on the walls, as well as pictures of him and his comrades. He will tell us what he went through.

November 22, 1963. It was a warm morning in California.

A red car pulled up in front of Po's apartment. Po looked out the window and smiled to see his friend Mitch in the front waiting for him. He opened up the front door and locked it behind him before jumping into the backseat of his friend's car.

"The others coming?" Po said as he gave him a high five.

Mitch grinned. "Of course. It's all set. Let's get rolling."

Po nodded and did not put on his seat belt before Mitch sped down the street, going for the rest of the friends.

The panda was twenty years old now. He wore a campus sweatshirt and jeans. He was still in college, studying for tests and not getting much of a break. He decided to not go to class until later that day, wanting to spend time with his friends.

Mitch was twenty one. He was a strong White Tiger with sea blue eyes. He wore a black leather jacket and blue jeans, sunglasses covering his eyes. The tiger was out of college and was readying for medical school, but he was spending his free time the best he could.

The two were best friends since they were cubs. Po's parents lived in China when the communists took over. They killed his parents and left him orphaned, but a goose found him and brought him with him back to the United States. He was there to see how his former country was doing when he found the panda. He had come to America before the communists, when the last empire fell. The goose raised the panda as his son, the two already embracing the American culture.

Po met Mitch there, whose grandparents had left China when the revolution occurred. Mitch grew up with his parents until they were tragically killed by a gang one fateful night. He was taken in by Po's stepfather for a time until an old Red Panda, named Shifu, adopted the White Tiger. Mitch grew in the art of Kung Fu, for his adopter was a skilled master in the art.

Po was taught by Shifu in Kung Fu as well, the panda and Mitch growing in the art for the use of self-defense. They met many friends while they trained with Shifu. Jackie, who everyone called Monkey, Lucy, whom everyone just called Viper, David, whom everyone referred to as Crane, Ryu, and Song. All were taking lessons from Shifu for self-defense, and they grew to be great friends.

Love was even found between them. Po began dating Song, but the relationship didn't last long however. The two had too different personalities, but they remained good friends. Mitch and Ryu fell in love with each other. They began dating three years ago, and were enjoying a long and happy relationship.

Though Po did not find anyone lasting like his best friend Mitch had, he never gave up hope; he would find the love of his life one day.

The car went down the road and turned the street for the next friend. Mitch slowed the speed of the car and stopped in front of Ryu's house. Soon the door opened, and Ryu ran out of it smiling.

The two friends smiled and waved to Ryu as she ran towards them. She jumped into the front right seat of the car next to Mitch and gave him a quick kiss.

"Hey guys." She said smiling.

"Ready Ryu?" Po asked grinning.

"Yep, it's always fun to have a day at the beach." Ryu said happily.

Ryu was a South Chinese Tiger with black eyes. She wore black pants, with a matching V-neck. A red dragon pattern covered the left side of her clothing. Though they all had adapted to America, they all still held onto the Chinese culture; after all, they lived in Chinatown.

Po and Mitch had heard of the president's plans for direct intervention to a land they had never even heard of before JFK spoke of it: Vietnam. Nevertheless, the two were influenced by their president. They asked themselves what not their country could do for them, but what they could do for their country.

Their friends however did not see fighting in a war as what they could do for their country. Crane claimed he would not go because he said that the army didn't need winged soldiers anymore. Monkey said that his religion (Buddhism) forbade it. The three girls knew they would never fight, and thought that the Peace Corps would be the way to go.

"You have some music we can listen to Mitch?" Ryu asked.

Mitch smiled and nodded, turning on the radio.

"Oh yeah, one of my favorites." Po said as the song began to play.

The song was _I Get Around _by The Beach Boys. One thing that all of the friends enjoyed was the music of the Sixties, and it seemed to be getting better and better.

Po hummed the music as they drove, finding Monkey's house. They got the primate in the back of the car, next finding Viper, then Crane, then finally Song.

"Dammit, this car's jammed." Monkey complained, the friends squished in the back of the car.

Mitch and Ryu laughed, the two enjoying the comfort of the front of the car. They sped down the streets, eventually coming to the beach. They parked it in front of the water, the friends getting out and beginning to talk.

"JFK's in Dallas, right?" Mitch asked.

Po nodded. "He's there to make a speech."

Mitch nodded. "Think that Vietnam stuff will die down?"

Po shrugged. "I don't know. It'll probably be another Korea actually."

"Yeah, probably. Kennedy has already sent Special Forces over there; it's only a matter of time before we get more involved."

"Are you two still talking about communism and that crap?" Song asked. "Come on, we're all here to have fun, not make ourselves get scared of nuclear war!"

Mitch nodded. "She's right. Let's go get changed."

They saw the changing tent down the beach. Song went first, then Viper, then Crane, then Monkey, then Ryu, then Po, then finally Mitch. All were now in their swimsuits.

"What are you guys waiting for?" Mitch asked, sticking his feet in the water of the ocean.

"It's too cold." Song complained, crossing her arms.

"The water's always cold, Song." Mitch said, causing the others to laugh.

Soon they went into the water, laughing and splashing each other. Po picked up Monkey and through him under the water while Mitch did the same to Ryu. The day seemed bright. Friends enjoying themselves on the beach of California. No one would guess that tragedy struck the country.

The music on the radio continued to play until it suddenly stopped. All of the friends stopped and turned towards the radio in the car.

"We interrupt this station to give you breaking news." The announcer said, and the friends raced up to the car to hear what it had to say. "President Kennedy has been shot. He has died of his wounds minutes ago. Vice President Johnson will be sworn in onboard Air Force One shortly."

The friends' jaws dropped, staring at the radio. Their president was dead. An assassination of a president had not happened since the end of the 1800's. They all looked up to their president. He got them through the Cuban Missile Crisis. They watched him and his family on the television. Now he was dead.

Mitch shook his head, still staring down at the radio in disbelief. Ryu put her paw on his shoulder, trying to comfort him. Mitch and Po particularly looked up to the president. He was their hero.

"He was so young. The youngest president in office; now the youngest president to die in office." Mitch said.

Po shook his head, not believing what had happened as well. "He was the reason that our generation was under control. He controlled our generation, and even then they have been on the edge of rebellion. LBJ won't be able to hold them back now."

Mitch sighed, getting into the car. "Do you guys want to go back?"

They all nodded and went back into the car. The ride back was silent, each thinking of their dead president and what would happen to their country now. Mitch already knew what he would do now; Po was unsure of it.

The friends were dropped off at their homes, and Po went on to his classes. Mitch made his decision finally, asking himself what not his country could do for him, but what he could do for his country. He would join on Friday.

Po went through the week, still sad about the loss of the president. He sat in his dorm, reading about communism and all the rest of the world's sins. He then heard a knock on the door. He went to the door and opened it, finding Ryu standing there. She had a sad look on her face.

"Can I come in?" Ryu asked.

"Of course, Ryu." Po said and let her in, closing the door behind her.

She slowly sat on the couch and Po sat beside her.

"What's the matter?" He asked.

Ryu turned to him. "Mitch…he joined up."

"What?" Po said, shocked. "Why did he join up?"

"He said that he was ready to do his duty for his country." Ryu said, bowing her head.

Po hugged her. "It's ok. He'll be fine."

What Ryu didn't know was what thoughts were going through Po's mind at the time. He already was considering joining the military, and now that his best friend had joined, he certainly wouldn't let him go to war alone. He would serve his country as well, and be with his friend.

"I just don't want to lose him." Ryu said.

"He'll make it. I've just decided to join too; I'll watch his back." Po said.

"No, not you too." Ryu said.

"I can't just let my best friend go alone. We'll both come back." Po said.

Ryu nodded, breaking the hug. She stood up, and nodded solemnly.

"Thanks Po." She said before walking out of his dorm, closing the door behind her.

Po sighed, knowing that there was no turning back after telling Ryu that he would go with Mitch. He took his keys and went in his car to the recruiting center, joining up.

He then drove to Master Shifu's barracks, where the friends had trained for so long, and it would be one of the final things he would see in America. He entered it and found most of the friends sitting on the floor, talking. They turned and nodded to them, gesturing for him to sit as well. Mitch was there too, talking with them solemnly about him joining up.

"You're not going alone, Mitch." Po said, giving a light smile.

Mitch's eyes widened. "No, Po, you didn't! You didn't have to do that!"

"I wanted to. I want to serve my country and watch your back." Po responded.

"No offense Po, but I can handle myself; besides, I don't want you to die either."

"None of us are going to die. This will be just like WWII. We'll go in, beat the bad guys, and get out." Po said confidently.

"You have no idea what kind of war is being fought there." Mitch responded.

"We'll all make it. I've requested that I stick with you through the training and be put in the same squad, and they granted it. We leave Sunday."

It was now Sunday. Po and Mitch stood in uniform, with their friends beside them. Po hugged Shifu.

"You have been an excellent student. I pray that you return safely." Shifu said.

"We will, master. Mitch will come back too." Po responded.

Shifu broke the hug and brought Mitch down into a hug. "Goodbye, my son. I am very proud to have raised you to what you are now."

"Thank you for everything, father." Mitch said and broke the hug.

Slowly, the other friends said their goodbyes to the two.

Mitch hugged Ryu before giving her a passionate kiss. They broke the kiss, looking into the other's eyes.

"Goodbye, Ryu. The only thing I regret about joining up is leaving you." Mitch said, Ryu hugging him again.

"I love you Mitch. I'll write letters to you, ok?" Ryu said.

"That sounds great. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." Mitch said.

"I'll try my best." Ryu said.

"Hey Po, that gives me an idea. How about we write letters to you and you write them back to us? You know, we all write in one letter, and you write in one letter back that is addressed to all of us?" Monkey asked.

Po smiled. "That sounds great."

Po hugged Song, the leopard crying. "Po, I'm sorry that we didn't work out. If this had anything to do with you-"

"No, that had nothing to do with it. Goodbye Song." Po said, pulling her close.

"Bye Po." Song said before slowly breaking the hug.

The military bus soon turned the corner and stopped in front of them, its doors opening.

"Well, this is it." Po said.

They said their last goodbyes, and started up the steps before turning and looking at them all. They waved goodbye and got onto the bus, finding other volunteers there. They sat by the window and looked out, waving to them once again until the bus drove off, Mitch and Po looking back at them until they vanished from view.

They drove from California to Louisiana, to a training ground known as "Tigerland". They stayed there training, the two excelling the other recruits in it. Soon, there was sparring. Mitch went one on one with a fellow soldier, and came out victorious quickly. The sergeant, known as "Sergeant Killjoy", ordered two more soldiers to go fight against Mitch. The White Tiger had used his Kung Fu to defeat the first, and did it against the three just as swiftly.

The same went for Po, where he defeated one, then three. Little did they know that a Green Beret colonel had been observing them from a watchtower, seeing their skills the entire time they had been there.

After the sparring, Po and Mitch were taken by Sergeant Killjoy to the colonel. Po and Mitch saluted the officer.

"At ease," The colonel said, the two dropping their arms. "What are your names?"

"I am Po and this is Mitch, we're from California, sir." Po responded.

"Where did you two learn to fight like that?"

"We have trained in Kung Fu our entire lives back home." Po said.

The colonel nodded. "Forgive me, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Colonel Branson of the Green Berets. I have observed you two for quite some time now, and I was wondering if you two would like to become Green Berets yourselves."

"It would be an honor, colonel." Mitch responded.

Po bit his lip. He knew that the Special Forces went on more dangerous missions, and coming out alive would be harder to do with joining them.

"What about you, son?" The colonel asked.

"Gladly, colonel." Po said, swallowing down the thought.

He knew that he had just gotten into something bigger than being in the marines. Now they were going to be Green Berets.

They left Tigerland and went to a secret training facility in Oregon, where they trained until 1965. It was now time to go to war, for President Johnson had just ordered ground troops to Vietnam.

Po and Mitch had excelled in the Green Beret Training. They now were marksmen with weapons, and were masters in guerilla warfare, just as their enemies were in the jungles that awaited them. They were given the symbol of the Green Berets, the Green Beret itself. They were promoted to captain already, and went to a nearby airport.

Po and Mitch walked up the steps of the military plane, turning back once to see the last of America before boarding the plane. The plane went straight to a military base in Vietnam, where they got off and were assigned a small, private barracks just for themselves. They looked up to see helicopters flying all through the sky, their blades making continuous roars. _Tracks of My Tears _by Smokey Robinson played on speakers throughout the base as soldiers moved around it to and fro, their weapons over their shoulders.

By now they carried around M16s and M1911 pistols and wore Tiger camouflage pants, jackets, and even Boonie hats in the camouflage. The tiger camouflage was called that because of the black stripes like that of a tiger, the rest of the camouflage being green for the jungle. They wore black combat boots and had large packs over their shoulders, carrying what little personal belongings that they had as well as their Green Beret caps. Also, large combat knives were strapped to their chests for close quarters combat if they needed it, as well as bayonets that could be put on their rifles.

They entered the barracks and found their orders waiting on their bunks already, and they began unpacking their things. Before long, two soldiers appeared. One held two boxes, one holding M16 and M1911 ammo and the other holding grenades. The other soldier held a helmet with a bunch of stainless steel crosses on dog tag chains. Mitch and Po already had dog tags.

"Here's some ammo and grenades for you two." The first said, handing them the ammo and grenades.

Mitch and Po took four grenades, ten magazines for the pistols, and seven spare magazines for the assault rifles.

"Why do we need all of this so soon?" Mitch asked.

"Orders have changed." The soldier said. "You two have been ordered to accompany the Seventh Calvary as they go into the Ia Drang Valley."

"Ah, the Seventh Regiment." Mitch said laughing. "Same as Custer."

The two nodded, and the second stepped forward. "Any of you two religious?"

"I am." Mitch said and took one of the crosses and put it around his neck.

That would be Mitch's favorite piece of equipment. Mitch was not religious however, for he said that he had a personal relationship with God. Po didn't see the need to take a cross with him however.

"Alright, follow us." The second soldier said, taking the two with them out of the barracks after they had everything set down and were ready to go off to war.

They left the barracks and came to a landing pad just outside of it. On the pad was a brand new UH-1D Huey Helicopter Gunship. It was armed with XM157 rocket pods and M134 miniguns on each side. On the nose of the helicopter was a belt fed M75 40mm grenade launcher with a capacity of 300 rounds. On both sides of the helicopter, mounted for the passengers to use, was an M60 machine gun with an extended magazine to give it extra ammunition. It could hold eleven men in the back of it. Painted on the front of the helicopter was the famous sharks-mouth paint scheme, with permission from the famous Flying Tigers of WWII. On the side of the helicopter were the words "Death From Above".

"Damn, we sure are ready for war!" Po exclaimed.

Standing next to the helicopter were three wolves. Each wore a flak jacket and two had on a pilot's helmet, while one just had a green helmet. The first stepped forward.

"You must be our lucky passengers. I am Staff Sergeant Jefferson, but you can call me 'Red'." The wolf said.

"Where did you get that nickname?" Mitch asked.

"It's a long story. This is my co-pilot, Sergeant Chase." The wolf said.

"Nice to meet you." Chase said and shook each of their hands.

"This is Corporal Mason, who serves as the door gunner and crew chief, whatever you need him to do back in the cabin."

"A pleasure serving with you two." Mason said and shook their hands.

"We'll be usually taking you down and taking you out of places, but it depends if superiors have other orders for us. We will also be supporting ground troops with this firepower. Soon the platoon will be ready." Red said.

"What platoon?" Po asked.

The three grinned, and then laughed, leaving the two still standing puzzled.

"We'll tell you two after you get out of Ia Drang alive!" Mason exclaimed. "They call it 'The Valley of Death' for a reason!"

"Well, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me." Mitch said grinning, causing them all to laugh.

"God, we're going to enjoy blasting those commies away with you two." Red said. "Now pile in, we need to get down to X-Ray!"

"Good luck you two." The first soldier that came to their barracks said as he and the other walked off.

Po and Mitch went into the helicopter and sat down on the seats, the rotor blades beginning to spin and the helicopter beginning to start. Mason gave them hi fives and sat next to the door, manning the M60 sticking out of the helicopter on the right side.

The helicopter slowly got off of the ground, going forward and beginning a diagonal rise into the air. Po looked out the side of the helicopter and saw the base begin to vanish, more and more helicopters flying to and fro from the base.

Red gave them the helicopter's frequency, telling them to use the Seventh Cavalry's radio to call them in for extraction. Mitch checked his weapons' ammo and grabbed onto the cross around his neck, closing his eyes and murmuring a quick prayer to God to protect him and the other Americans and to let His will be done.

Po got up and went to the left side of the helicopter, looking down at the landscape. The land held hills and mountains, all covered in jungle. Narrow rivers twisted through the landscape, and he saw a small village on a field. Small huts lay there, and villagers in straw hats went about farming on the rice patties. It was there when he saw _her_. He leaned out and saw a beautiful tiger walking down a small path. At hearing the helicopter, she looked up and smiled, waving to Po. The panda smiled back and waved. He was in love.

Mitch saw Po's actions and got up, going beside him and looking back at the village.

"You see that village Po?" Mitch asked.

"Yeah?" The panda answered.

"That's what we're fighting for also. We're fighting for people that just want to live in freedom and privacy. Unfortunately, Charlie has made that difficult. South Vietnam wants to be free; North Vietnam wants to enslave them." Mitch said, growling at the thought of the invaders.

Po nodded. "You are so right. This truly is a noble cause; just as it was in WWI and WWII, and Korea."

"Let's get set, we're almost there." Mitch said, sitting back down.

"There it is boys! The Valley of Death!" Red said happily and made his descent.

Po looked out and saw the valley, helicopters already dropping troops off. The helicopter hovered over the grass.

"Alright Berets, go, go, go!"

Mitch and Po jumped off, the two crouching and pointing their guns at the trees around them.

"Area's already secure, come see the CO." One soldier said and led them through the field to a tree surrounded area where several soldiers stood around an Indochinese Tiger. A captured NVA soldier.

A greying wolf stood there with an ARVN soldier and a fellow sergeant. Po and Mitch walked up to them, the four hardly noticing them. The prisoner spoke in Vietnamese, Mitch knowing what he was saying. The White Tiger had learned Vietnamese in case of going to war actually, and also spoke German (Po spoke German as well to know the same language as his friend).

"What did he say?" The wolf asked.

The ARVN soldier sighed. "He said that there are many more than two hundred North Vietnamese soldiers here than our reports said. He said there are two battalions in the hills, and more are coming."

The odds were grim. The Americans had reports that little more than two hundred NVA regulars were in the area, and they only took 450 men to wipe them out. Two battalions were one thousand six hundred men. The Americans could only get two hundred men in the first day. They would be fighting an entire day with an eight on one disadvantage.

"Secure the perimeters, everyone be on guard!" The wolf said, who was Lt. Colonel Hal Moore.

The prisoner was taken away and the two vanished, Hal Moore turning his attention to them.

"Captains Merindus and Ping, I've been expecting you." Moore said, the two saluting and then he put them at ease. "Glad to have your skills here, we're going to need all the help we can get to hold the line. Find a spot and don't let them break through."

"Yes sir!" The two said in unison and ran back to the field, dropping to the ground as they suddenly began to hear the crack of AK47s and M16s answering them.

"It's started, let's pick up the pace!" Po said

The two got up and sprinted forward, reaching a creek bed and crouching behind rocks like the soldiers around them.

"Soldiers, this is it, fire at will!" Mitch commanded as he and Po stuck their guns forward and aimed down the sights.

They first saw the enemy here. Tigers clad in light colored uniforms, leaves attached to them to gain camouflage. They carried AK47s, RPKs, MAT17s, and many more weapons that had been supplied to them by the Soviet Union and communist China. They were a tough and determined enemy, and they would die for their cause.

Po fired a burst of his rifle, hitting a soldier that yelled in pain before falling over. He turned his gun and switched it to semi-automatic, firing three bullets at three enemies, the three dropping to the ground.

Mitch fired a long burst a group of troops, killing them all. He then pulled out a grenade and pulled the pin, throwing it towards the enemy. The grenade exploded, sending NVA into the air and blowing their legs off. The soldiers howled in pain before Mitch shot them all, putting them out of their misery.

A GI mounted and M60 machine gun and began to fire, making the North Vietnamese begin to fall in large numbers from the powerful machine gun. Suddenly, a stick grenade landed to the side of Po. The panda's eyes widened, and time slowed.

"Grenade!" A brave GI yelled before diving onto the explosive.

Po quickly rolled away as the grenade exploded, the courageous American absorbing the blast and being killed instantly. Po went back to his spot and sighed, taking the dog tags off of the dead American's neck. It was courage and bravery like this that made Po never forget Vietnam. Americans sacrificed themselves for their friends in every war; Vietnam was no exception.

"Po, we need some help here!" Mitch yelled as he fired another burst, hearing a click.

He pulled out the magazine and slapped in a fresh one, aiming down the sights again and beginning to take down the North Vietnamese once again. A GI pulled out and M79 grenade launcher, nicknamed the "Thumper", and fired it into the communists. The blast blew a tiger in half, his intestines flying out in midair before the parts of his body fell to the ground.

Another large group of NVA came in, firing into the Americans and managing to kill a few of them.

"We need artillery in front of the creek bed!" A radio operator yelled into the speaker, receiving a response from the artillery officer that it was on the way.

Po soon heard a rumble, and then the whistle of shells coming towards them. The shells began exploding in front of them, consuming the NVA. But suddenly, a blast strayed too close to the Americans and killed three men.

"Move the artillery forward, you are hitting us!" The operator said, receiving static.

The officer got the message however, as the artillery went farther from them and still hit the communists. Mitch heard the NVA ordering a fall back, and he patted Po on the back as they watched the NVA withdraw.

"Nice shooting. One firefight out of many." Mitch said, the two's hearts pumping quickly.

The radio operator began talking with another operator over the radio, then turned to the two Special Forces.

"Lt. Col Hal Moore wants you two to go to his command post. He's sending you to the south perimeter." The operator said, the two nodding and hurrying off, carrying their rifles by the hand grips.

They ducked and hurried across the field, knowing that the NVA were that close to shoot them there and there was already the continuous sound of firefight all around the perimeter. They reached the same place they had seen Moore before, finding many radio operators, wounded, and mortar teams there, as well as Moore.

"There you two are. I received the report that the creek bed has been held, and the attack pushed back for now. Nice work, but it's far from being over. Charlie has us surrounded and is pushing up from the south perimeter; go in and help them out. I'll be going to the creek bed to make sure the line is held."

"I have tremendous respect for you sir." Po said.

"Why?" The wolf asked, smiling.

"You're the only high ranking officer I've heard of and seen that goes into battle with his troops, instead of being behind the safety of a desk miles away." Po responded.

"Thank you." Moore said. "I make sure that my men are alright and I fight just as hard as they do. Now go help them out!"

"Yes sir!" Mitch said as he and Po sprinted south, dodging bullets from North Vietnamese snipers and diving onto a small hill, lying beside a sniper. T

The sniper took a deep breath and held it before firing, the two hearing a screams shortly afterwards. He moved his head from the scope and smiled at them.

"You must be our saviors!" The sniper exclaimed.

"Just here to help." Po said grinning.

"NVA are trying to push through. Get up front with the rest of the grunts and give them some help. Get off of my hill."

The two laughed and hurried down the hill, diving in front of a fallen tree and using it as cover. They crouched and Po switched his weapon to fully automatic, firing into the waves of communists. Mitch did the same, as did the other troops around them. A tiger beside Mitch began to fire on an M60, firing nonstop into the communists and killing them in large numbers.

Mitch suddenly heard a bullet whiz as it drove into the GI's chest, the young American slumping down on the gun. Mitch knew that the M60 was keeping the men there alive and pulled the American off of the gun, manning it himself and embracing the firepower of the awesome machine gun. He watched as an enemy soldier had his guts shot out and his arms shot off as well, in awe of the power of the machine gun.

Po hit three enemies with headshots in a row, their craniums popping off as they fell to the ground. Soon the NVA withdrew from that area, the GIs cheering and checking their dead and wounded. It was very small compared to the many that the North Vietnamese were losing.

Small skirmishes went on through the night, the Americans managing to win the day. Po and Mitch were ordered back to the creek bed by Lt. Col Moore, and sat with their guns sticking out into the bushes. The atmosphere was eerie. The night was pitch black, where one could not see his hand in front of his face. There was the chirping of crickets, the occasional sound of a AK47 crackling and the American response, and the sound of helicopter blades as dead and wounded were airlifted out.

All was quiet one moment, until Mitch heard a crunch in the twigs in front of him. He quickly crawled to a radio operator.

"I heard rustling outside our lines. Call for illumination." Mitch commanded in a whisper.

The operator nodded and pulled out the radio.

"We need illumination on the creek bed." The operator said.

Mitch crawled back to his position, tapping Po on the shoulder.

"Get ready," He said, the two inserting in new magazines to their rifles and aiming down their sights.

Suddenly, an American mortar shot a flare into the air, illuminating the area. Po's eyes widened as in front of the American lines were hundreds of NVA right in front of them.

"Fire!" He commanded as all of the soldiers began to shoot, the communists not able to react.

One NVA soldier managed to dodge the bullets and tackled Mitch, the two rolling down the slope. The soldier tried to impale him with a bayonet but Mitch knocked him off of him, getting on top of him and drawing his combat knife. He thrust it into the communist's chest, making him scream in pain. He pulled the knife out and finally thrust it into his neck, the soldier gurgling before slumping to the ground.

Mitch got up and grabbed his M16, diving back to the position and beginning to fire again with the rest of them. The jungle was lit with the light of the assault rifles firing, and a lone M60 chomping through the bullets. The NVA retreated, the GIs panted from the startling attack.

The rest of the night was an eerie quiet. No one slept for fear of another attack.

* * *

Po, Mitch, and Lt. Col Hal Moore sat overlooking the creek bed, their guns pointed out into the jungle. It was the second day.

"Fire three shots into anything that looks suspicious." Moore said and all of the GIs shot into the jungle, firing at anything they saw.

They heard a few yells before hundreds of NVA jumped up, concealed by their camouflage and inching even closer to them every minute and beginning to fire. GIs began to grunt and fall over dead as Po fired at the advancing communists, taking out ten enemies before having to reload.

Mitch tossed three grenades into the masses before they exploded, killing large numbers of North Vietnamese. A GI pulled out and M72 LAW launcher and fired into the masses, a tree being shredded and impaling enemy soldiers with wood.

Moore saw that the Americans would not be able to hold them back much longer, and hurried over to the radio operator.

"Sir, what do you want me to call?" The GI asked.

"Broken Arrow." Moore responded, turning and killing a communist as he got too close to the lines.

The operator's eyes widened, and Moore nodded before going back to his position.

"Broken Arrow!" The operator yelled into the radio. "I say again, Broken Arrow!"

The creek bed was the key to victory in the battle. It was directly in front of the hills that the NVA were hiding in and were coming from, and would cut the Americans in a pitch fork movement if they broke through.

Meanwhile, in Saigon, the capitol of South Vietnam.

Radio operators listened to the GI call the strike. Two Washington Correspondents stood in front of a table, which held a map of the valley and showed the positions of the Americans and North Vietnamese.

"What does Broken Arrow mean?" The first asked.

"It means that an American unit has a chance of being overrun, and is calling on all available air units to assist it." The second replied.

"My God, there's no keeping this a secret now."

Jets, helicopter gunships, and bombers all took off of airstrips and aircraft carriers, heading for the Ia Drang Valley.

"Where the hell is that air support?" Po yelled as he fired into the chest of a NVA regular, making him drop dead.

Soon they saw another wave of enemies, this time not regulars, but the guerilla force of the Vietcong. They were black clothing and sandals, straw hats on their heads and carrying AK47s. Mitch fired a horizontal spray of his M16, dropping seven to the ground dead.

Suddenly, they heard the roar of a jet and then the clunk of bombs dropping. Flames consumed the area in front of the Americans. To Po, it felt like someone had just opened up a giant oven. It was napalm, an effective weapon that was helping the Americans greatly in the war. Burning at three thousand degrees Fahrenheit, it would burn any obstacle in its path.

They heard screams as the flames died down, showing burning Vietcong as they struggled to put themselves out. The Americans shot them dead, just as another load of napalm was dropped on advancing NVA.

"USA mother fucker!" One happy GI yelled.

Moore looked up and saw another jet approaching, straying too close to American lines.

He jumped up and waved him away, trying to get the pilot's attention before it was too late. But the pilot had already dropped the first bomb, and managed to pull up before delivering the second.

"Get down!" Moore yelled as Po and Mitch watched the bomb descend, as if it was in slow motion.

The napalm blasted part of the American lines, making GIs howl in pain as they were struck by the flames.

Moore's eyes widened as he watched his troops suffering, and patted Mitch on the shoulder.

"Come with me!" He commanded, Mitch following him as Po held the line.

They came over to a GI who was smoking, his fur and flesh burned away as he screamed in pain.

"Get this man to the landing zone for emergency extract. Grab him by the legs and pull!" Moore said and hurried to another one of his wounded men.

"It's going to be ok buddy, it'll be alright." Mitch said, comforting the American as he suffered.

What Mitch didn't know is that the combat boots had melted into the American's skin from the napalm. He grabbed him by the boots and pulled, finding the boots slowly slide and revealing bone. The American screamed louder than he ever had, Mitch's eyes widening as he looked at his bloody hands and struggled to figure out what to do.

He finally picked him up and put him over his shoulder, carrying him as fast as he could to the landing zone. Helicopters dropped in, delivering food, water, ammo, and the rest of the troops. They also were there to pick up the wounded, and Mitch rushed to a helicopter, dodging bullets on the hot LZ and set him on a stretcher there. The American pulled him close.

"Tell Moore, I'm proud that I fought for my country!" The American managed to say before the helicopter lifted off, leaving Mitch to watch it fly away before sprinting back to his position while more wounded from the accidental napalm strike were brought to the LZ.

Mitch dove back to his position and began firing again, shooting down the remainder of NVA and Vietcong. Suddenly, three helicopters came in, blasting the rest of the communists with rockets, miniguns, M60s, and grenade launchers. As they flew away, the communists went into a full retreat back to the hills.

In the distance Po heard B-52 bombers roar as they dropped their bombs on the surrounding area. Napalm was being dropped all around the LZ X-Ray, but luckily no more accidents occurred.

The day went down easier thanks to the increased troops and the air support. The communist enemy was now preparing to finally crush the Americans. They would put their reserves and all of their men at the creek bed, ready to finally overwhelm them. They would take no prisoners; they were cruel and vicious, just as the Sioux had been against Custer and his men. The next day would decide who would win the struggle.

At night, Moore ordered most of his troops to the creek bed, for he expected the attack. He was a brilliant leader, and had a plan of his own. Also at night, the NVA and remaining VC sneaked up to the American lines, building up in large numbers to finally crush the "evil Americans" as they called them.

Morning came, and all Americans were tired from another sleepless night, but were still ready to fight and die for their friends and country. Moore saw rustling in the bush in front of him. He didn't know that it was the leader, who would stand up and raise his arm forward, ordering the men to attack. He knew it was an enemy however, that was that close.

Moore pulled out a bayonet and put it on his M16, looking around at the rest of his men.

"Fix bayonets!" He commanded, knowing that this would be a close quarters fight.

The American soldiers did so, Po and Mitch putting on theirs and pointing out at the jungle once again. The NVA leader jumped up, and so did Moore. Moore fired three rounds, the first two killing the leader before he could even give the order and killing two men behind him. He sprayed the rest of the men there and charged.

The other Americans got up and also charged, cheering and firing their rifles at the completely surprised and totally off-guard North Vietnamese. Po cut a NVA soldier's neck open with the bayonet before shooting him while Mitch knocked one to the ground with the butt of his gun before thrusting his weapon into his downed foe.

The Americans continued to charge, shooting and stabbing any communist that was unfortunate enough to be there. They went up a hill, shooting down retreating NVA. They went up the hill, Po breathing heavily as they advanced upwards. Little did they know that they were running up to the main base of the NVA. Machine guns and entrenched troops awaited them.

Po and Mitch heard a roar of a vehicle before they reached the top, their eyes widening as they looked down the barrels of communist guns. They NVA never fired. Huey gunships rained hell down on the communists, blasting them with all of their firepower. Po and the others ducked to the ground in case the NVA tried to fire on them, their mouths opened as they watched the deaths of so many.

A NVA soldier's head popped off from a miniguns while one was blown in half by a rocket. Mitch looked up to see one of the hueys to be Red and the others. Red fired the grenade launcher, rockets, and miniguns all at the same time, entrapping the enemy with a rain of fire.

Soon the hueys pulled away, leaving few NVA still standing. Moore ordered the men forward, the Americans cheering and charging into the enemy base. Po shot the rest of the still able to fight NVA and walked beside Mitch, the two seeing a NVA soldier carrying the North Vietnamese flag as he fled. Mitch raised his gun and fired, the NVA soldier stopping as he yelled, then fell dead to the ground.

Mitch and Po went through the dead and wounded, turning to see a wounded NVA soldier. The soldier picked up an AK47 like a coward and fired into three GIs, killing them before he was shot by Po and Mitch.

"Damn NVA. They truly are brainwashed, or they are just downright evil." Mitch said growling.

Bodies were stacked of the NVA dead, and the captured were tied up. Weapons were stacked in piles as the hueys returned; ready to pick up the Americans. Red landed the huey in front of the two, Po and Mitch getting into the back of it.

"We saved your asses back there!" Red said grinning. "Glad you two made it!"

"Thanks for the help Red!" Po said, giving him a high five and sitting down on a seat, leaning against the back of the helicopter as he took a deep breath.

The battle was over for them. The NVA were retreating. The Seventh Calvary was being airlifted out, while fresh troops went in to chase down the retreating communists.

The helicopter took off, giving the two the last sight of the battlefield as they headed back to base. At the end of the battle, One thousand two hundred fifteen communists were killed, to a mere two hundred Americans dead. In the new war of attrition, a war where body count was measured as success instead of land gain, this was a major American victory.

Po shook his head, turning to Mitch as the tiger murmured a pray of thanks to his Lord.

"You glad you made it out?" Po asked.

Mitch opened his eyes and grinned. "Yeah, that was fun."

"Fun?" Po asked, shocked. "You called nearly dying and killing others fun?"

"Wake up, Po." Mitch said, laughing. "When you know you're doing the right thing, it's fun for me. Besides, this is just the beginning."

**A/N: The two join the Green Berets and win the battle of Ia Drang! As you can see, the two share different opinions about the war now. Po and Mitch both are proud to fight for freedom, their country, and each other, but Po does not find war "fun"; Mitch does. Next chapter: The Platoon. Po and Mitch are introduced to a platoon that is to take their orders, and they journey into the jungles for their first battle. Please don't be negative about this story! This is for entertainment, so please don't be a troll or something. I'll have the next chapter out in a little while, so stay tuned! Please review, share, comment, and please, no flames!**


	2. Charlie Don't Surf

**Kung Fu Panda: Apocalypse Now **by

Mitchicus

Chapter 2: Charlie Don't Surf

**A/N: I'm back from vacation, and now have a new chapter of Apocalypse Now! I changed the name of this chapter because it sounds better if you ask me. It is a famous line from the Vietnam War movie **_**Apocalypse Now**_**, and the big attack in this chapter is inspired completely by it. Also, I have recently begun taking in OC submissions to have YOUR OC in Apocalypse Now! Want to see them in chapters like this? Send me your OC's name, rank, appearance (clothes, species, etc.), weapons of choice, personality, or anything else you would like for him! Here are the names of the OCs used in this chapter, and their owners. Koru from SFTA and other stories, owned by SilverTigerDirector respectively, Xueren, owned by Racin Mason 24, and Kajirn from Missing, owned by TheMysteriouswatcher. So you know, I will still be asking for more OCs submissions from you guys throughout the story, for I'll always have room for them (since a platoon actually has up to forty four men in it). Please also listen to the music in this chapter and in this entire story of course, because it sets the mood of the time period and in this case, how the soldiers were feeling. Once again, please do not flame the story because of its time period and everything. I recommend that you all look up the Apocalypse Now helicopter attack to see what this battle looks like. Also, Mitch actually is smoking in this chapter. You could call him out on being a Christian and all, but no one knew how destructive smoking is to your body in the 1960's. I certainly don't smoke, and though Mitch, the OC modeled after myself does, I don't want that to reflect myself or my character in a bad way. One could find the first part of this chapter angering, but this is what really happened. I have another quote to set the mood for this, because it represents what happens in the beginning of this chapter somewhat. Please R&R and enjoy of course!**

"**Let us understand: North Vietnam cannot defeat or humiliate the United States…only Americans can do that." –Richard M. Nixon, 1969**

Ryu sat in her dorm, Song in a seat next to her.

"Ryu," Song said, turning to her, "I think I'm going to Vietnam myself."

"What do you mean?" Ryu asked, turning to her.

"I mean that I'm going to be a nurse. I was talking to my friend Yunwei, and I think that God wants me to go and help our wounded soldiers." Song said firmly. "Do you want to come too?"

Ryu sighed and shook her head. "Those poor men are coming out of the combat zones missing limbs, eyes, and some have even lost their souls. I couldn't go, knowing that Mitch or Po may suffer the same fate."

Song nodded solemnly. "I understand. I am going to go volunteer-"

The two began hearing shouts outside, stopping their conversation and turning to a window.

"Oh shit, it's another anti-war march." Song said, the two running out the door and facing the mob as they went down the grass of the campus.

The group carried signs saying "End the War in Vietnam" or "Pull US Troops Out of 'Nam". Others said "Stop the Murdering Americans" or "Hell No We Won't Go". These students were truly anti-American, believing that _they_ could _choose _the laws that they wanted to obey as long as it was in the name of social protest. They hated their parents and despised them for keeping to traditional values. The students' values: protesting the US, listening to rock and roll, and smoking marijuana and other drugs.

Ryu saw one in the front holding a Blue Military Service Flag. The flags were given to relatives, family, etc. of active members in the military and the students had stolen this one from a family's home for their protest. The flag had a red trim, then a white square around the blue star in the circle.

"A message to GIs serving in Vietnam." The student yelled, stepping forward and turning to them. "We don't give a damn about you!"

He pulled out a lighter as the others cheered, and he lit the flag on fire, dropping it to the ground as it was consumed by the flames. Ryu and Song watched in shock, seeing the blue star fade into black.

"What the hell do you two want?" The student asked, a red fox.

Ryu was unafraid. "My boyfriend and his friend are in Vietnam probably dying for trash like you."

"We don't care! Haven't you gotten the message?" The student said. "Each day more and more civilians are slaughtered by US troops. They are nothing but murderers!"

"They are fighting for freedom in Vietnam and are protecting the civilians from the communists! Murderers? Not a chance; they are unsung heroes thanks to bastards like you. If you want America to still have democracy-"

"I am a communist, bitch." The student said. "I want the US to become communist."

"Then you are not an American."

The fox hissed and turned to a flag behind Ryu. It was another Blue Service Flag that Mitch had gotten for Ryu to proudly hoist over her dorm.

"Give me that damn flag." The fox said stepping forward, being stopped by Ryu.

"You aren't going any farther." She said firmly.

The fox grinned. "Oh yeah?"

He took one more step, and that was it. Ryu punched him in the face, sending him to the ground. The fox had blood dripping from his now broken nose, and his drugged friends tried to attack Ryu and Song but the fox signaled them not to, now seeing a new target. The wolf picked himself up and turned to his confederates.

"Come on guys, they're not worth the trouble; I do see a nice target; the cause of all this shit happening in 'Nam." The fox said, pointing to a figure going across the grass.

The figure was a GI, his term of duty over and he was now home. He had a large pack on his shoulder, still carrying all of his belongings from Vietnam. A smile was on the wolf's face as he walked, not noticing the group of angry students. He whistled as he walked until he heard cursing at him and stopped, turning to see the angry mob.

The mob ran towards them, Song and Ryu standing still, knowing that they would not be able to help him against an outnumbering mob. The GI tried to run but was tackled by the fox, the drugged student beginning to hammer the GI with punches. Soon the rest of the gang was there, hammering the helpless GI. Suddenly, the mob stopped as they heard the wail of police sirens and ran out of the campus, Ryu and Song rushing over to the bloody GI.

They helped him up and picked up his pack for him. The GI's eyes were glassy, and it sounded like he was crying; though he did not shed a single tear. He was in shock that people he had fought for would do such a thing to him. Seven police officers soon appeared, their guns out yet pointed at the ground.

"Are you all alright?" One officer asked, knowing the two were not from the mob.

"We're fine, but we wish that we could say the same of this serviceman." Song said, and the officer nodded.

"Take him to the hospital if he has major injuries please, and be on the lookout for that mob again. We've seen houses burning only five blocks from here thanks to Molotov cocktails. We don't want that to happen you your dorm, ma'am."

"Yes sir," Ryu said as she and Song helped the GI into the dorm, the two offering the soldier food and water and tending to his wounds.

The lead policeman sighed, turning to the others. "This war, I tell you; it is dividing our country. It is the same kind of noble cause like that of WWII but why can it not be treated as such? Why do people think that the US is murdering civilians?"

Another sighed. "This younger generation is really fucked up. It thinks that it can do whatever it wants and thanks to the lies of the media, it has even more fuel."

* * *

December 11, 1965.

It was always hot in Vietnam. The country was now in the dry season, and both sides continued to suffer in the heat and humidity of Southeast Asia. It would soon be 1966, and the war would drag on long past that year.

Po walked casually with his hands folded behind his back, whistling as he heard the constant roar of helicopters coming in and out of Firebase Van Tre. He saw Red's huey on the landing pad beside the barracks and went into he and Mitch's personal barracks, finding Mitch sitting on his bunk as Red, Chase, and Mason sat in the room smoking cigarettes and playing cards. Mitch had recently begun smoking after Ia Drang, seeing it as a way to pass the time and stay alert. "Riders on the Storm" by _The Doors _played on a nearby radio.

The White Tiger looked up and grinned, pulling the cigarette out of his mouth and blowing out smoke.

"Hey Po, what's up?" Mitch asked.

"Quite a party you have going on here; don't tell me you have drugs too?"

Mitch and the others laughed. "No, those are for the lowlifes back home."

Mitch sat with his M-16 on his lap, carving words into the flat part of the gun's left side saying _Peace by Firepower_. That was when he saw the new attachment on his friend's gun.

"Mitch, what is that?" Po asked, reaching out his hands for the gun.

Mitch handed him the gun, the panda looking at the weapon.

"That my friend is a new attachment; that is an M203 grenade launcher." Mitch said, grinning. "We also have new magazines; they hold thirty rounds instead of twenty."

"And where is my-"

The panda stopped as he saw his own M-16 sitting neatly on his bunk with the grenade launcher on the end of the gun as well. He looked down at Mitch's weapon one last time, reading words that were scratched into the right side of the M-16's grenade launcher.

They read _Communist Photographs: smile and wait for flash!_

Po chuckled and set down the gun. "Oh they'll smile alright."

Mitch laughed and took another puff of his cigarette. He handed Po a folder.

"Our long time task is to be the test subjects of Operation Barracuda." Mitch said as Po opened the folder, which contained countless files. "We are to command handpicked troops from the marines and a few from the ARVN and lead them into special operations, such as the one we will be going on today."

Po nodded, and came to a file of an ARVN soldier. "Corporal Koru."

Mitch nodded. "I read his file; he is former NVA."

Po's eyes widened. "You're serious?"

Mitch nodded again. "He was born in South Vietnam and joined the NVA. When he saw the atrocities of the communists, he decided to leave. When he and his communist squad heard American troops nearby, he killed his comrades and surrendered to the US forces. He's a smart man to join the right side; I'd really like to meet him. I also heard a rumor that he fell in love with a medic named Yunwei, and the two want to head to the States when they can."

"Ah, a love story." Po said.

Mitch chuckled. "And _you_ are staring at Vietnamese girls up from helicopters."

Po glared at him, making the tiger laugh.

"The Third Air Cavalry is assigned to Barracuda Platoon; it will be there for you two's troops throughout the missions." Red said.

Po nodded. "Do they have just as much armament as we do?"

Mason grinned. "And more. Instead of door gunners having M60s, some of the helicopters have miniguns."

"That's kick ass right there!" Po said enthusiastically.

Chase nodded. "Adding to that, some have larger rocket pods and duel M60s on the doors. The cavalry has a vast array of transports, medevac choppers, and of course, gunships."

"Sounds good. When do we meet the troops?" Mitch asked.

"Right about…now." Red said, almost as if he knew they were right above them already.

Po and Mitch heard extra roars from choppers and went outside, seeing the sky blackened even more by the descending rotors. The helicopters sat down, the troops beginning to flow out of them and form a perfect line in front of the two commanding officers.

The two paced the line, shaking hands with the soldiers occasionally. Mitch came to one tiger who actually had longer stripes than his and shook his hand. The tiger had a traditional green-camouflaged jacket with an oblivion symbol on it. He also wore multi-pocketed pants with tiger camouflage, and had a holster that held high caliber rounds for his rifle and holstered Python revolver.

"What's your name, soldier?" The White Tiger asked.

"I am Corporal Kajirn, sir." The tiger replied.

"What do you use, corporal?" Mitch asked.

The tiger raised a sniper rifle. "Bolt action M40 sir. I pop commie heads from miles away. I prefer high powered weapons, but machine guns and M-16s aren't my thing."

"Son, with this attack, I'm afraid that you won't be able to use that very well. We'll be striking mainly from the choppers, so you'll probably have to use an M60 up there. Can you handle it?"

"Yes sir." The corporal responded, angry that he was stuck with a machine gun.

"Good to hear. I'll see you on Commie Beach." Mitch said.

"Commie Beach?" The soldier asked, shocked.

Mitch smiled and nodded. "Yep, Commie Beach; the one and only."

"That's like one of the largest hot zones in Vietnam!" Kajirn exclaimed.

"Is that a problem, corporal? I heard you were a good soldier, so I'm wondering if you getting handpicked for this outfit was worth it." Mitch said, crossing his arms.

Kajirn grinned. "I _love _hot zones. I can't wait, Captain Merindus. We finally get to bring down Commie Beach! Soon we'll call it GI Beach."

The line of troops and the two Green Berets laughed, and Mitch shook the tiger's hand again.

"I'll look for you on the beach." Mitch said and went down the line with Po, finding a White Tiger holding an M21 Sniper Rifle with an infrared (thermal) over his shoulder.

The tiger had a silver plated Taurus pistol on his side and had camo pants with a belt that held his high caliber bullets in slots. He wore fingerless leather gloves to help keep his grip on his weapon yet allow him to effectively monitor the wind resistance, calf high combat boots, and finally an olive green tank top. A crucifix with Buddha beads hung from his neck. Po noticed that his face revealed abusive deformity, but made sure to notice it in a quick glance.

"You must be Corporal Koru." Po said, reaching out and shaking the tiger's hand.

"I am, sir." Koru responded.

"I've heard that you are one hell of a soldier." Po said smiling.

"I follow my orders, sir. Tell me to do something and I'll do it." Koru said.

"I like this guy already." Mitch said smiling, crossing his arms.

"You a sniper too, Koru?" Po asked, and the White Tiger nodded. "Glad to have your skills set. However, when we rain hell down on the VC, try and use some big gun or something."

"Will do." The tiger said and Po and Mitch stepped back, surveying the group one last time.

Behind them were the hueys (gunship and transport variants), and finally AH-6 Little Bird and Cobra gunships (armed with rocket pods and miniguns). Project Barracuda was about to be sent into action.

"Our orders," Mitch began, pacing the lines of battle ready troops, "are to assault a beach nicknamed 'Commie Beach' as most of you know that. The Vietcong control a village there, holding the inhabitants hostage and living off of its food supply. The beach has a large number of communists guarding it, complete with twelve anti-air guns and a PT-76, Russian made amphibious tank. They outnumber us three to one, but we have some things we don't. Courage, a just cause to fight, and of course," Mitch went to a huey and patted its miniguns. "firepower."

The soldiers laughed before Mitch went in front of them again, smoking his cigarette as he paced once again. "When the Vietcong know that they are going to lose the beach, they will retreat to the safety of the deep jungle behind it. We will seize the area and the set up defensive lines where the jungle and beach meet. There, we will let the Vietcong fall prey to their own game. Any questions?"

The air was silent until a lone GI spoke up. "Can we get there now sir?"

The soldiers laughed, and Mitch nodded. "Yes we can. Alright people, let's rock and roll. Go, go, go!"

The troops hurried to their helicopters and got in, manning the door weapons and sitting next to the open ends of the helicopter and hanging their feet off of the edge. The helicopters began to start, their blades beginning to spin and Mitch pulled out his cigarette before stomping on it.

"Alright Mitch, let's go!" Po said happily as he picked up his M-16 and hurried to Red's helicopter with Mitch.

The White Tiger hung his legs over the edge and sat his gun on his lap while Po sat down on a bench and manned the M60. Mason manned the other machine gun, and Red and Chase went into the cockpit. The helicopter started and took off; the rest of the platoon's following them as they climbed into the sky. The helicopters banked and went over the ocean, going a distance until turning again to get a perfect, straight angle on the beach. The beach could not be seen yet, only open ocean.

The helicopters flew in attack formation, and Mitch put on a headset to speak with all of the pilots in the cavalry.

"About a mile out, I'm going to put on some music." Mitch told them. "We'll be riding into battle scaring the shit out of the commies!"

"Can this day get any better?" Kajirn said over the radio.

"It hasn't even begun son." Mitch said grinning. "Welcome to Barracuda Platoon."

"What song will it be, Mitch?" Po asked.

Mitch pulled off his headset to answer him. "Ride of the Valkyrie by Wagner." Mitch said, loading a grenade into his under barrel launcher.

"Seems fitting." Po responded.

"Scares the shit out of the VC I've heard. They are about to feel the full might of American military might."

"Come on commies get some!" Mason said happily, checking his magazine on the machine gun.

Mitch put back on the headset. "Make sure that you do not fire in the civilians' direction. We are here to liberate them."

"Will do sir." A pilot responded.

"Alright boys, shall we dance. Lock and load!" Mitch yelled and pressed play on the radio, "Ride of the Valkyrie" by Wagner beginning to play.

The soldiers began to load their weapons, sitting next to the open door bays of the helicopters and preparing for the assault. Po hummed the music as he saw two Cobra attack helicopters bank and get lower to the water, readying to get the best angle on the VC.

"Pilots, aim for the AA guns first, then worry about the ground troops. Everyone else…happy hunting." Mitch said, hearing laughs over the radio before setting down his headset and picking up his M-16.

He switched off the safety and set it on full auto, leaning out the side of the helicopter as he watched the beach come into view. He checked his magazine and nodded to Po. The panda pointed his gun towards the beach and humming the music.

Meanwhile, the Vietcong patrolled the village, when they heard the sound of music and helicopter blades. They shouted to their comrades and villagers began to run and panic, afraid of the coming battle. The Vietcong forced able to fight villagers to wield AK-47s and fight their liberators, and also ordered women to be suicide bombers.

The Vietcong would not go down without a fight. They manned the ZSU AA guns and aimed in the US forces' direction, and others ducked in foxholes and aimed towards the coming copters.

Mitch grinned at this, and pulled the headset to his face. "Alright boys, light 'em up!"

Soon, every helicopter fired its rockets at the ZSUs, blowing the guns and their gunners to bits. The hueys and the other gunships fired down at the Vietcong, blowing them into the air, flying right over their heads as the troops sitting on the sides opened fire.

Po fired his M60 in a long burst, making five enemy combatants drop dead in a matter of seconds. Mitch leaned out and fired his grenade launcher, blowing the legs off of three VC. He leaned back into the helicopter and loaded another grenade, but leaned out and fired a long burst of his machine gun at a group of running Vietcong.

The Vietcong crouched and tried to fire at him but were shot dead and the helicopter banked, passing over their bodies. Mason meanwhile sprayed any enemy he saw, cursing at the communists as he fired down at them.

"Run Charlie!" Po said as he fired his M-16 into eight fleeing VC.

The VC stopped as they were shot, dropping to their knees before falling down dead. Mitch set his gun on semi-automatic and shot a soldier in the back, making him fall down, wounded. Mitch saw that he would not be able to fight any more.

"If they're wounded, don't finish them. We'll pick them up and take them prisoner." Mitch yelled to Po as the panda finished his magazine and slapped in another.

"Will do," Po responded and fired a grenade, blasting several VC.

Two AA guns still remained however, and they both began to fire on Po and Mitch's helicopter. Bullets flew through the helicopter, forming holes in the side of it.

"We're taking heavy fire over. Frances, care to assist?" Red asked another pilot.

"With pleasure," Frances responded.

Piloting a Cobra gunship, Frances dove towards the two anti-air guns and unloaded his miniguns and all of his rocket pods on them, turning the land around the guns into a giant crater and making the guns and their operators disappear.

"Thanks for the help Frances, I owe you a beer." Red said, hearing Frances laugh.

"I don't drink beer; I'll settle for a coke."

Red laughed. "That'll work."

Mitch pulled the headset to his face. "Begin landing troops at the front of the beach, and then move them up!"

The cavalry obeyed, hovering over the sand and dropping off the soldiers. The US forces immediately jumped off of the helicopters and crouched, beginning to fire and move up the beach. All the while the helicopters provided air cover to the troops below.

A lion named Xueren jumped off of a huey, immediately beginning to blast Vietcong with his powerful M60 machine gun. The lion wore tiger camouflage pants and had a green flak jacket, with two belts of bullets around his shoulders.

"USA shitheads!" He said grinning, causing GIs around him to laugh as he fired.

An enemy sniper shot from a rooftop, hitting a GI on the head and killing him. Xueren growled and fired a long spray at the sniper, pelting him with bullets and making him fall, dead from the rooftop.

"Alright guys, let's move up!" He said and charged up the beach with his comrades.

As they moved up, another huey dropped Koru and Kajirn onto the beach, the two running towards a hut and jumping onto its straw wall and beginning to climb. They reached the top and began to set up sniping positions. Kajirn deployed a bipod and went prone, tracking a running communist as the soldier ran towards the American troops.

Kajirn fired, the bullet driving through the tiger's head and sending him tumbling to the ground. He grinned and pulled his hammer back, putting another bullet into the M40.

Next to him, Koru crouched and squeezed his cross before aiming down the scope of his M21, seeing the infrared signatures of everyone in the battle. He saw three enemies running towards Xueren and his allies, and shot them all in the head with three bullets. He adjusted his sight and saw seven communists fire at him. He acted quickly, diving to the roof as bullets whizzed around him.

One communist pulled out an RPG, and aimed the launcher at the straw hut. He knew that the hut would not stand from a single shot from the rocket propelled grenade. Suddenly, a bullet went through the communist's chest, the soldier firing the rocket into the air accidently and falling down dead.

Before the others could react, they were hit by a grenade from Po's M-16, his helicopter swooping over them. Kajirn saluted to Po for saving them, and Po returned the salute as he passed.

"Get us down there!" Mitch commanded and Red slowed the helicopter, hovering over the ground as Po and Mitch jumped onto the sand.

Mason meanwhile fired at a group of communists charging at their position before the helicopter took off, the wolf continuing to fire down at them. The communists fired at Po and Mitch, the two rolling behind crates and beginning to fire back at them. The communists reached the two and one rushed at Mitch, an AK-47 with a bayonet on the end in his hands. He thrust it towards him to impale him but the tiger dodged him and punched him in the face, making him drop the gun and stagger backwards. He then swept his legs out from under him and while he held his M-16, pulled out his pistol and finished him off.

Po meanwhile hit a tiger in the face, breaking his jaw and sending him to the ground. He shot him with a single bullet as he lay there, and fired a short burst at three more advancing VC. The Vietcong fell dead to the ground, the American troops soon forming up behind their two leaders. A long group of Vietcong formed a line in front of them and tried to fire but three gunships swooped over the Americans' heads, blasting the communists with miniguns and rocket fire. Soon there was nothing but bodies, and the Americans advanced.

As they went, a male suicide bomber jumped out of an alley and grabbed an American. There was nothing his allies could do. The bomb exploded, killing the GI the bomber held and six around him, wounding three others. Mitch and Po stopped, running to the wounded.

Mitch leaned down and saw one, his intestines and other organs falling out of the GI's chest. The American was gurgling, blood flowing out of his mouth. He patted him on the shoulder, comforting him.

"It's going to be ok, son. What's your name?" Mitch asked.

"Fred, sir." The GI said weakly.

"It's good to meet you Fred. We're going to get you patched up and you're going to get out of here." Mitch assured him.

Fred shook his head. "No, I'm not going to make it. It was a pleasure to fight under your command…I am glad that I died for my country."

After saying this, he slowly closed his eyes, and Mitch stood up, nodding to the medics to take the body to a chopper. He sighed, and went back up to Po.

"The VC are retreating into the jungle." Po said. "What is this that you were talking about as in the VC falling prey to their own game?" The panda asked.

"We will wait for them to come back. I'm calling off all the helicopters, and the Vietcong will think that we've left the area. That's the problem though; after the US clears out VC in an area, they pull out, and the VC come back in. Now, we wait for _them_ to come, instead of us coming to them."

"Sounds great." Po said, ordering the troops to set up a line on the edge of the jungle.

Koru and Kajirn moved up, moving into a tall tree to fire from above. The soldiers took cover behind logs and trees, or dug foxholes and trenches. Mortars, machine guns, assault rifles, grenade launchers, sniper rifles, _everything_ aimed at the jungle. By now it was noon, and the helicopters were called off temporarily. The civilians were ordered to stay indoors until further notice to insure that no civilian was killed in the ambush.

Po made sure he had a full magazine and grenade loaded, and they waited. Two hours passed, and all they heard was the whispers of troops and the constant waves hitting the beach. Suddenly they began to see leaves move.

Po tapped Mitch on the shoulder, the tiger already seeing the leaves.

"I've already ordered that no one can fire until you see the whites of their eyes." Mitch whispered.

"Ah, just like Bunker Hill in the Revolutionary War eh?" Po asked.

Mitch nodded, and aimed down his sight. The Vietcong came into view, leaves tied to them to camouflage themselves. They went forward, not seeing the American lines. They kept walking, eying the beach in front of them.

Soon, they were close enough. "Open fire!" Po commanded, the American lines firing a long, devastating blast of their weapons into the unprepared enemy. Countless soldier fell, the US soldiers not ceasing and the Vietcong trying to retreat. The VC either were wounded or killed, and the Americans went forward and shot the rest of those retreating.

The Vietcong dead were piled, the wounded and prisoners rounded up, and the helicopters called back in. CH-53 and CH-47 heavy lifting helicopters came as well, taking wounded and dead back along with the hueys. They also brought gifts for the battle hardened troops, ammo, and other supplies.

Po walked down the beach, his boots leaving footprints in the sand as he walked to Red's helicopter, which was powered down and sitting on the sand of the beach. Mitch sat on a bench overlooking the beach, smoking a cigarette and talking with Koru, Kajirn, and Xueren in the back of the helicopter. Suddenly, Po turned and heard the roar of three jets just before they dropped napalm on the tree line, sending the jungle up in flames.

He turned back and got into the helicopter, sitting next to the door and resting his hand on a warm M60 from the battle.

"Those heavy lifters are bringing in treats for such a success; beer and other drinks, crab, and even surfboards." Mitch said grinning.

"They caught crab for us?" Xueren asked, cleaning his M60.

Mitch laughed. "Yeah, a group of GIs were sent in with M-16s to go underwater and shoot the crab, then bring them back up."

The group laughed.

"They did catch them though; but in Florida."

"All the way from Florida?" Kajirn asked.

Mitch nodded. "Caught in the coast, given to the military, and sent to us. The beer and the other drinks are from a nearby supply depot, but the surf boards are from California. So what do you prefer, light or heavy board?"

"I use the heavy board." Kajirn said.

Xueren nodded. "Me too."

"I use heavy as well." Po said, not believing that they were having a conversation like this and privileges as well after such a hard fought battle.

"I've never surfed before." Koru said.

Mitch laughed. "Then you can try it today."

"I don't know about that." The White Tiger responded.

"It'll be fun. Yunwei might like to see you able to surf."

Koru widened his eyes. "How did you find out about Yunwei?'

"I've heard rumors." Mitch responded, grinning.

"Oh, great." Koru said.

"The trick is to have something in between heavy and light, like I prefer it." Mitch said. "That's why back in California I ruled the waves Isn't that right Po?"

"Oh yeah," Po responded. "And now you'll rule Vietnam's waves."

"Probably," Mitch said, Kajirn and Xueren laughing.

Kajirn and Xueren got out of the helicopter. "We're going to go get some beers."

It was a miracle that Po and Mitch were alright with their troops not always referring to them as "sir". Other leaders were much more strict.

"Bring me a coke, Po a beer, and what do you want, Koru?" Mitch asked.

"A coke, sir."

"Bring him a coke, and that's an order!"

The lion and tiger laughed and then saluted, walking off to where the other troops hung out and talked around a long, plastic table (brought in from the helicopters). Mitch took in another puff of his cigarette and began putting new bullets into a magazine of his M-16.

"What do you want to do when you get out of this place, Koru?" Po asked.

"I want to go with Yunwei to the United States and live a peaceful life." Koru responded.

Po nodded. "Sounds like a good plan. What state?"

"She lived in California before she became a medic, so probably there." The tiger responded.

Po nodded again. "I remember that a friend of mine is friends with her. If you're going to be in California, then you'll see us there too."

"Sounds good." Koru said, turning to see the two returning with the beverages and handing them out.

Po drank his beer quickly, crunching it and throwing it into the sand.

"I never thought that beer would be allowed here." Po said.

"It's been allowed in WWI, WWII, and Korea." Kajirn responded. "It's not something new."

"It destroys your body and if you get drunk, turns you into a senseless fool." Mitch said, taking a puff of his cigarette.

"And you smoke cigarettes, which they are researching to be just as harmful I think." Po said.

Mitch bit his lip. "I can sense that it's bad for me, but once I get out of 'Nam, I'll quit."

"Is that what a drug addict would say? 'I'll just stop after a while easily'? No, addiction is not easy to get away from. It can take years to get away from it." Po responded.

"I am not an addict. DO NOT compare me to a drug addict." Mitch growled. "I am nothing like the losers back home."

"Sorry. Yeah, you're right." Po said.

"It's ok. I made my decision, and with God's help, I'll stop when the time's right." The White Tiger said.

"This platoon is handpicked, correct?" Koru asked Po, and the panda nodded. "We lost some troops today. Are they replaced?"

Po nodded again. "Command replaces them with the next best marines and ARVN soldiers."

"I see." Koru said.

Po turned and saw VC prisoners and wounded loaded onto a CH-47. They helicopter took off, going back over the sea and into the distance. He watched as civilians walked around, asking the GIs what would happen to them and asking for help in matters left by the Vietcong. The Americans assured them that the area would remain in US control, since it was a valuable, strategic area located near the Mekong River, and they intended to keep their promise.

Po soon saw PBR gunboats in the distance, as well as large ships holding cargo. This land was to become a major outpost, complete with docks, a supply depot, airfields, a MASH hospital, and more. The Barracuda Platoon had made a major success, and command was so grateful that it wanted to send part of it on another special operation.

A radio operator walked up to the helicopter, stopping the conversation and everyone turned to the GI.

"Captains Ping and Merindus, command has new orders for you. I wrote them down." The GI said, handing him a piece of paper. He saluted to them. "Good luck."

The two returned the salute and Po read the note, turning to Mitch and showing it to him. The White Tiger nodded.

"What does it say?" Koru asked.

Po turned to him. "We are to go into Cambodia to eliminate an NVA general; General Lung."

**A/N: Barracuda Platoon defeats the Vietcong at Commie Beach and wins the area, just in time for Po and Mitch to be assigned another mission; to kill General Lung! Wow, bet you didn't see Tai Lung coming into this, but here he is! He truly is evil in this story, and I must warn that the next chapters will get pretty dark and will be gorier. Be warned, torture is coming at the hands of Tai Lung. The story is actually coming to a deeper plot now, and things will get even better once they get to 1968. Prepare for the Tet Offensive! However, the next two chapters are going to be about getting Tai Lung, then I may have a whole chapter completely dedicated to Po and the "girl he saw in the village", aka Tigress. Next chapter: Never Get off the Boat! Po visits Tigress' village for the first time and then goes on a secret mission with Mitch and handpicked others into Cambodia to kill a notorious NVA general, General Tai Lung. Please review, share, comment, and please, no flames!**


	3. Never Get Off The Boat!

**Kung Fu Panda: Apocalypse Now **by

Mitchicus

Chapter 3: Never Get Off The Boat!

**A/N: Another quickly updated chapter! This story has OCs from SilverTigerDirector (Koru and Yunwei, Jiu-Ne, and Tigress' real name, Hei-Wa), Racin Mason 24 (Xueren), The Mysteriouswatcher (Kajirn), taskarrthetwisted (Kann), and Psychic ninja (Jiraiya). This is an intense chapter, and the next is even more intense. However, this chapter begins with TiPo XD. Lang Son Bridge and what happens there is from the movie **_**Apocalypse Now**_**, not my own ideas. The parts after that are mine.**

"**The objective of war is not to die for your** **country, but to make the other bastard die for his." -George S. Patton**

Po watched the waves crash, sitting with Mitch in the benches of Red's huey as it was powered off. The breeze slightly moved the rotors, and if it were not for the roar of constant helicopters, tanks, and ships, they could hear the waves.

"You remember where that village was near Ia Drang?" Po asked.

The White Tiger nodded. "Yeah,"

"Can we go there?" Po asked. "We still have a few days until we start the mission."

"Oh, alright." Mitch said. "But we have to ask Red first."

"Already asked him; he said it would be hard to get you to agree." Po said.

"Did he now?" Mitch asked chuckling.

Minutes later, Red, Chase, and Mason came to the helicopter, starting it up. Mitch brought along his new friend also, Kann, with them. It was never bad to have too many friends with guns that have your back; any civilian could be a disguised VC unfortunately.

Kann was a white wolf, as big as a tiger, and had deep black eyes. He was proud and hard-shelled, but emotional once you got to know him as Mitch did. He could endure great physical pain thanks to his training (and also the fact that he had been tortured by Vietcong years ago). A few scars on his left arm still remain as a reminder of his harsh treatment. He was easily annoyed by rich kids, and he shared the same annoyance as Mitch did. He was a former soldier for the Army of the Republic of Vietnam, and then moved to the US a few years ago…only to join the US marines when war in Vietnam became more intense. He wore a sleeveless, tiger striped vest, striped multi-pocket pants, and a cap that he wore most of the time, except for bed and meals. He carried an M-16 with the carved in words _Fire, within and without_, and had a M1911 pistol, and finally a large machete that he had strapped to his back. He was a First Lieutenant for his accomplishments.

He was a tough soldier, one that would not crack until death. That's why Mitch liked him, and was glad to have him in Barracuda; Mitch socialized with badasses.

"Kunee Village, eh?" Red asked, putting on his headset.

Po nodded. "Don't spook the civilians; be sure to wave to them."

"And don't wave your rifles!" Chase added, causing the troops in the back to laugh.

The helicopter took off of the sand, beginning to climb and giving an aerial picture of the growing base. Tents were set up, and metal docks were being made. The tents would be removed with permanent buildings later, and an airfield was already having cement laid out. Bulldozers plowed down trees to make room for buildings and the rest of the airfield, while troops stood near them incase Charlie was hiding in the bush.

The helicopter banked and faced the jungle, beginning to pick up speed as it went inland. The growing base vanished behind them, and Mitch loaded another magazine into his rifle.

"What do you think you're doing?" Po demanded.

"Loading my gun; why?"

"We are going to a civilian village! You can't bring a gun there!" Po exclaimed.

"Look, this entire country is a warzone thanks to the VC being everywhere. We have to defend ourselves."

"Then just bring your pistol." Po said, and the tiger nodded.

Kann set down his rifle and waited with the other two, "The End" by _The Doors _playing in the helicopter's radio. They passed over lush forests, and one could not believe that such a beautiful place was a warzone.

Kunee Village came into view, the helicopter beginning to make a descent. Po saw the rice patties that he saw only weeks ago, scanning the area for the feline he saw there last time as well. Villagers looked up from their work, curious because the Americans had not come to them before.

The helicopter landed on the outskirts of the village, Po, Mitch, and Kann walking out. Mason, Red, and Chase stayed with the helicopter temporarily as the three walked up, Mitch leaning over to Kann.

"If anything looks suspicious, let me know. Charlie could be hiding here." Mitch whispered, and Kann nodded.

They walked through tall grass, going up to a villager tending to a rice patty.

"Mitch, you know Vietnamese, ask her where the leader of this village is." Po said.

Mitch spoke to her in fluent Vietnamese, the villager nodding. She responded, and Mitch turned back to Po.

"His hut is the largest one, and he is in there." Mitch said, and thanked the villager for her help before they continued on.

The children of the villagers went beside the Americans, walking with them and admiring their uniforms and pistols. One rushed to the leader's hut, going into it and bringing out a middle aged Indochinese Tiger and his wife, a South Chinese Tiger. The Americans stopped and bowed.

"Greetings, Americans." The leader said, knowing fluent English. "I am Ko-Ri, leader of this village."

"It is nice to meet you, Ko-Ri." Po said as he and the others bowed. "I am Captain Ping."

"May I ask why you have come here?" The tiger asked.

Po bit his lip. He hadn't thought of that truly.

"We are here to see if you need protection from the Vietcong." Po managed to say.

The leader frowned. "Come with me so that we can discuss this in private."

The panda followed the leader into the hut, while Mitch, Kann, Red, Chase, and Mason waited outside. A female tiger walked up to Mitch.

"I remember you! You were on that helicopter with that panda!" She said.

Mitch smiled and nodded. "He's my best friend. You must be the girl he was talking about so much after he waved to you."

The tiger blushed. "Oh, did he?"

Mitch nodded, and the two began to have a conversation while Po sat down at a low table in front of Ko-Ri. The old tiger's mood seemed to change at the mention of the Vietcong.

"The Vietcong come and take three fourths of our food every month, as well as young men that are able to fight. They do not take them all at once, but gradually, that way Americans like you do not notice it." Ko-Ri said. "They also have us hide weapons occasionally for them. If we refuse them at all, they torture our people or take them into the jungle and kill them."

"We can help you, Ko-Ri." Po said. "I can arrange that an entire American platoon to come here and guard this village permanently."

"You can do that, Captain Ping?" Ko-Ri asked.

The panda nodded. "Villages and people like you are what we are fighting for."

"I thank you, captain. I believe that I've heard of you before." He said.

"Really? Who?" Po asked.

"My daughter, Hei-Wa." The tiger said. "She spoke of how she noticed you flying over our village only weeks ago."

"Did she now?" Po asked, happy that he heard that.

"Be warned though, panda. She is former VC."

The panda widened his eyes, and the tiger laughed.

"She truly does like you, panda. Don't be afraid of her though; she left the Vietcong when she was almost forced to kill her own brother for his treason against the NLF. She has changed so much since then, and if love blossoms between he the two of you, I support it." Ko-Ri said smiling.

After more discussion of the protection, the two stood up, bowing to one another and exiting the hut, finding Mitch and Hei-Wa talking. The female turned to Po and smiled.

"So your name is Po, correct?" She asked.

Po nodded. "I-it is."

"It is nice to finally meet you, Po." Tigress said.

"And you, Hei-Wa." Po said.

"Please, just call me Tigress." She said laughing. "I hate it when people use my formal name."

"Ok, Tigress." Po said.

The two walked through the village talking, while Mitch and the others talked with Ko-Ri and his wife, Jiu-Ne.

"Have you ever met my half-brother, Koru?" Tigress asked.

Po nodded. "He is one of the men I command."

"Really? That's excellent! It's amazing how fate has tied us together like this." Tigress said, causing Po to blush.

"Yeah, it's pretty cool." Po said.

Ko-Ri told Mitch to contact command in order to send a platoon for protection, and the tiger ordered Red to go back to the helicopter and contact them. Red did so, and the troops would arrive in the evening.

Kann talked with a group of women, Mitch still talking with Ko-Ri and his wife. They discussed about Jiu-Ne's son, Koru, Mitch now finding out his connection to them. The White Tiger told them that he was a brave and loyal soldier, and that he was proud to have him in his platoon.

Po and Tigress sat down in the grass, overlooking the sunset.

"What is America like?" Tigress asked. "I honestly don't want to be tending rice patties all my life."

Po laughed. "Well, it is the shining city on the hill; a beacon of freedom where the people don't need armed soldiers to protect them, for they have laws. Unfortunately, thanks to this war, teens and young people are rioting in protest and it is chaos."

"Why do they protest the war?" Tigress asked.

"They don't want to go; they don't know why we're here." Po said.

"That is unfortunate. Does this mean that you will eventually stop helping us?" Tigress asked.

Po sighed. "I don't know; it all depends on the support for the war, and it isn't going that well right now. Many still support it, but there still is chaos going on back home. That's the thing though; our people decide if they want war or peace, not the government entirely. Like if this was communist Russia, the government gives the people no voice. In America, we have a voice."

"I like your country…or what's left of it." Tigress said, the two laughing.

Mitch walked over to them. "We should get going Po; nice meeting you, Hei-Wa."

Tigress nodded and turned to Po. "Will I see you again?"

"I'll come visit. I promise." Po said, making Tigress smile and kiss him on the cheek.

"Go win this war for us." She said, making him slowly get up and nod, smiling.

Mitch chuckled and led Po back to the helicopter, its blades already spinning and everyone piled in. Mitch sat down and lit his cigarette with his lighter, picking up his rifle and resting it in his lap. Po sighed, leaning his head against the back of the helicopter.

"I'm in love." Po said, causing the two in the back to laugh.

"Kann, can you come with us?" Mitch asked.

"To where?" Kann replied.

"Up the Mekong River into Cambodia; where going to assassinate a VC general." The White Tiger replied.

"Sure," The wolf replied, "If it means saving lives."

"Oh, it will save plenty of lives." Mitch responded.

The helicopter took off again, flying back to the base as night began to come. Po and Mitch picked their troops to come with them on the mission: Kann, Koru, Xueren, Kajirn, Jiraiya, Johnston, Alex, and Jace. All specialized in a mission like this, and when the days passed and it was time to go, they were more than ready.

On the beach they were lined up in front of Po and Mitch, ready to do as they were told. Po pulled out a file, containing all of his orders.

"Mitch and I's orders are to go up the Mekong River into Cambodia to kill General Lung with a handpicked time; you are that team. The best of the best. I will say that this is probably the most dangerous mission any of you will ever have. If any of you want to back out, speak up."

No one spoke, and Po grinned. "Alright, let's get going!"

The panda and White Tiger beside him put on their tiger camouflaged Boonie hats and picked up their M-16s. They headed to the now partially complete docks, where a PBR gunboat waited for them.

The PBR was armed with a dual M2 Browning Machine Gun turret in the front, and then behind it there was a dual M60. At the back of the boat was a M60, used to fire on targets behind them and to the side. An American flag flew proudly over the boat, and the large group got in. The boat was cramped with so many on it, but the Americans did not care. There was a small room in a bottom floor of the boat, containing a table for meals and a racked M14 (fully automatic) and an M79 grenade launcher. It also contains the rations for the troops on their journey, and spare fuel.

"We ready to go, sir?" Jiraiya asked.

Jiraiya was a tiger who was bred for war. He was a descendant of a chieftain in the Philippines and moved to America when he joined the Marines. While in his home country, he was trained in close quarters combat, and it stuck with him. He had grown up fighting and killing, continuing to do so in order to protect his friends and because he was good at it. He wore a black shirt with the left sleeve torn off from a previous battle, replaced by a sleeve connected to his body by a series of buckles that clip around to his belt and four throwing knives were sheathed on his left sleeve. He also wore a belt carrying pouches on his right side, carrying his pistol magazines. Adding to this, he had four throwing knives buckled on his left thigh, and wore tan camouflage pants and his pistol holster was buckled to his right thigh. One last knife was strapped to his chest, over his green jacket. He had on Marine boots and had a scar over his left eye from a grenade explosion, which sent shrapnel into him.

Despite his history, he was humorous when not in battle. He used a captured CZ-75 pistol and AK-47. On the back of his jacket was written "Archangel", and he finally wore a green military cap. He was a Christian man that found war not to be fun, but "exciting".

"Indeed, Jiraiya." Mitch said, getting into the boat. "Everyone, check the weapons and make sure they're operational; not jammed or anything, that is."

The soldiers found no faults, and settled in on the boat. It was a relatively small boat for the amount of people on it. Johnston, Alex, and Jace were all wolves, carrying standard M-16s and wearing flak jackets, helmets, and green pants. They were all corporals, but they carried the courage of a higher ranking soldier.

Mitch got behind the wheel and started the boat, on the dashboard setting down a map of the area they would be going through. Kajirn sat behind the back M60, Kann the front M2s and Xueren went behind the middle M60s. The boat passed the base and went into the river. All knew that if the war they were in wasn't hell enough, this would be far worse.

The others sat down on the sides of the boat, talking and waiting on the long trip. There was no real place to sleep, and the mosquitoes would be there all the way with them. Mitch smoked his cigarette, the only light in the night except for the stars and the moon. This is when they arrived at Lang Son Bridge.

They began to hear shouts and gunfire in the distance, and began to see flares shooting up into the air. This was the border between Vietnam and Cambodia. US troops were not allowed to hunt down the Vietcong in Cambodia, so the VC were protected and in large numbers there. They could attack and vanish back across the border quickly.

The bridge came into view, a wooden bridge with street lights on top of it in order to give the troops that fought there….who fought non-stop…as much light as they could get.

"What the hell is this place?" Po asked, seeing the horrors there.

Crashed helicopters lined the banks, still in flames, and GIs jumped into the water to try and get on the boat.

"Get us out of here!" One shouted, going mad.

"Help us!" Another shouted, and the boat continued on without any other passengers.

They stopped at the bridge, needing new fuel. Po and Mitch got out, turning to the others. Artillery began to fall around them, shooting water into the air from a blast as they all ducked to the ground.

"Half of you, find gas for the boat; the other half, guard the boat." Po said, and the two walked up the hill towards the bridge.

GIs ran to and fro, sobbing and yelling helplessly. The troops were going insane from such warfare.

"God help them." Mitch said, squeezing his cross as he walked.

The two went into a trench; the line that held the border. They came to part of the trench where a panther fired an M2 Browning into the jungle, another panther helping to feed the ammunition into the gun.

"Take that mother fucker!" The panther yelled, half crazed.

"What the hell is going on here?" Mitch demanded.

The GI stopped and saluted. "Sorry sir, Charlie is real close, but I think I got them all!"

"You didn't get shit, Brandon." The other panther said. "There's a VC hiding under other VC bodies."

Suddenly, the group began to hear the VC shouting and taunting them.

"Hey GI! Fuck you! Fuck you GI!" They heard, an eerie calling into the night.

It was a single communist, one that was truly hiding under the bodies of his fallen comrades.

"Shit," Brandon said, firing a burst but the VC continuing to taunt them. "Get the Roach man!"

The other nodded and went down the trench, tapping on a sleeping leopard. The leopard woke up, picking up and M79 and walking to the position, beginning to hear the calling too.

"GI! Fuck you!" It was continuous, and Roach looked to Brandon.

"You need a flare?"

"No," Roach said calmly. "He's close. He's real close."

He pulled his M79 back and loaded a grenade into it, snapping it in. He then wrapped the strap around his arm and aimed it in the Vietcong's direction. His launcher made a thumping sound as it fired.

"Hey GI! Fuck-"

There was a loud explosion, illuminating the jungle for a split second. There was silence.

Roach nodded acknowledging the confirmed kill. "Mother fucker."

"Hey soldier," Po said, getting Roach's attention. "Who is in command here?'

"Ain't you?" Roach asked, Po being silent.

The Roach went back to his part of the trench, going to sleep again while artillery whistled around the perimeter.

"There's no one in fucking command here." Mitch said angrily. "We should get out of here."

The two went back to the boat, finding everyone back on board and anxiously waiting to leave.

"We're not actually going down that river, are we?" Kajirn asked.

Po nodded. "Into hell we go."

Mitch pulled the boat off the bank and went under the bridge, everyone ducking so that they did not get shot while passing through the area. Once daylight came, they got back up, Mitch smoking a cigarette as he drove the boat.

"We're almost there." Mitch said to Po, throwing his cigarette into the water.

Mitch's eyes widened as they went forward, seeing something that no one should ever have to see: bodies. Bodies decapitated, hanging from trees and sitting on the banks. Dead GIs and even civilians, all lying strewn around the area. Blood dripped into the water from them, and Mitch squeezed his cross.

"Jesus, protect me." He said, more scared than he had ever been of anything.

The others stared at the bodies, shocked and terrified at the sight. They passed them, each still horrified of what they saw. Suddenly, a bullet whizzed past them and blood shot into Po's face. The panda wiped it off, thinking it was his own until he saw Jace fall over dead.

"GET DOWN!" Po commanded, everyone hitting the ground as more bullets began to fly around them.

The bullets drove through parts of the ship but managed to not hit any of the soldiers, and Kajirn, Kann, and Xueren manned the machine guns and began to open fire into the two banks. They fired into the forest, not seeing any VCs but the light of their guns firing at them. Mitch and Po picked up their M-16s, firing into the forests as the boat continued to go down the river, and the others fired their own weapons as well.

Soon they had passed the encamped VC, and were firing into jungle that did not fire back. Mitch ordered them to cease fire, and they slowly did so. Empty bullet shells were cluttered on the deck, the Americans' guns smoking. Po went to Jace's body and sighed, putting him in a body bag below the deck.

"God saved us right there; otherwise we wouldn't be here." Mitch said, still shocked of the bodies and now one of his men dead.

"But we'll keep on going despite what's happened, right?" Kajirn asked.

Po nodded. "We're going to go in and kill Tai Lung, then get the hell out of here."

They came down the river, and saw a large village with a Vietcong flag flying over it.

"Is this it?" Po asked.

"I don't know, but if he's smart, he would put himself in something not noticeable or not fit for a general; like this." Mitch responded.

"Let's go in and investigate." Po said, and Mitch pulled the boat to the bank, shutting it off and everyone getting off.

They went up cautiously, guns in hand and eying the tree line.

"Watch your backs guys; Charlie will come up right behind you and slit your throat." Koru said.

They went to the huts and searched them, finding nothing there.

"What the hell is this place? A deserted village?" Mitch asked, right before a machine gun opened fire from the tree line, killing Johnson and Alex.

The rest of the troops dropped to the ground, crawling behind a hut for safety. They heard Vietcong cheering as they surrounded the Americans. A large group charged at them, Mitch and Po firing into the line and dropping three each while Koru took down two. The rest of the troops fired all around them as hordes of communists charged at them.

A Vietcong ran up to Mitch and shot him in the shoulder, the tiger dropping his M-16. Before the VC could finish him, Mitch pulled out his knife and slit the throat of the tiger. Vietcong surrounded the Americans, and charged. Xueren fired his M60 but was hit in the face with the butt of a rifle, being sent to the ground. Koru was unharmed, the Vietcong passed him. Kajirn was punched in the face and sent to the ground, two communists struggling to hold him down. Jiraiya was hit in the stomach with a rifle butt and hit again in the jaw, sending him to the ground.

Kann pulled out a pistol and shot two Vietcong dead, but another tackled him and two more began to hold him down. Po was knocked over by five Vietcong, watching as Mitch was the last one standing. Mitch picked up his M-16 and fired a burst at three VC, killing them all. Another went behind him with a knife, ready to impale him, but the tiger grabbed his arm and swung him over his head, pulling out his own knife and thrusting it into his chest. A Vietcong hit him with the butt of his rifle in the face but Mitch cut his chest open, letting him drop to the ground.

The Vietcong surrounded Mitch, backing up as the tiger swung at them.

"Come on mother fuckers! Come on!" Mitch yelled, the Vietcong laughing at him.

He was prepared to go down fighting, and Po would not let that happen. He had sworn to Ryu that he would bring Mitch back home, and he would do just that.

"Mitch! Stop!" Po pleaded, the tiger turning to him and bowing his head.

Mitch dropped his knife and went to his knees, the Vietcong dissipating as their leader came up to them. He was in a tan, NVA uniform, a Makarov Pistol strapped to his side.

"General Lung," Mitch said through bloody teeth.

The Snow Leopard grinned. "I knew you Americans would come for me; I just didn't think that you would put up such a poor fight." Tai Lung said before kicking Mitch in the face, knocking him unconscious.

The Snow Leopard stood beside Koru, who was untouched. Po glared at him, believing that he worked for the Vietcong the entire time.

"Blindfold and bind them." Tai Lung commanded, laughing as his troops bound the Americans in blindfolds and ropes. "Now, we take them to Chun Camp."

The troops followed Tai Lung into the jungle, dragging the Americans as they went. Po was scared, but also enraged. Was Koru a spy this entire time? Po didn't know that Koru was a double agent for the Americans. He was their only hope in the horror and death that awaited them at Chun Camp.

**A/N: The Americans are captured by Tai Lung and the VC! I hope you all love how the story is so far, and please keep sending OCs! There's plenty of room still! Next chapter: Chun Camp. Po and the others are imprisoned at Chun Camp, a labor…and torture camp, and fight to survive against terrible odds. Please review, share, comment, and please, no flames!**


	4. Camp Chun

**Kung Fu Panda: Apocalypse Now **by

Mitchicus

Chapter 4: Camp Chun

**A/N: I'm back with another chapter! This story has OCs from SilverTigerDirector (Koru and Yunwei, Jiu-Ne, and Tigress' real name, Hei-Wa), Racin Mason 24 (Xueren), The Mysteriouswatcher (Kajirn), taskarrthetwisted (Kann), Gravidal The Dragon (Gravidal Bian), Psychic ninja (Jiraiya), The. Anyone that has a loose stomach should skip to the end of this chapter after the beginning part, just saying. And now to the chapter.**

December 24, 1965.

Christmas Eve. Her birthday. Ryu sat in a chair, watching the news as the reporters displayed footage of the front on the television. She turned in her chair uncomfortably, seeing the soldiers trekking through the leech infested waters and watching out for enemy snipers and booby traps. Mitch was going through the same things, she knew. It was another year when Mitch had not been with her on her birthday or Christmas Eve.

Suddenly, she heard a knock at the door. She jumped up and turned off the television, seeing a military car in front of her house. She froze. She had seen the same kind of car before, and knew that it brought to many families the news that their loved one had perished. She took a deep breath and slowly walked to the door, freezing there once again. Finally, she put her paw on the doorknob and opened the door, coming face to face with a colonel in full military uniform, holding an envelope.

"Ma'am, you are Ryu?" He asked.

She nodded slowly. "Don't tell me…he's…"

"We don't know ma'am." He said. "Captain Merindus placed you as the first person to know if anything happened to him. While on a secret mission…we believe he was captured."

"What do you mean, 'believe'?" Ryu demanded.

"We did not find any bodies, and we believe that he is now a prisoner of war." The colonel said.

"Are you going to search for him?" She asked.

The colonel sighed. "I shouldn't be telling you this, because it is top secret, but we know where they are; _exactly_ where they are. The only problem is that they are in Cambodia, which is 'neutral' in the war. We are still seeking approval from President Johnson on whether to act, since they are high value soldiers."

"Will…will I be informed if you get them back?" She asked.

The colonel nodded. "You will be the first to know. Here is mail that he sent you before he went on the mission." The panther handed her the envelope, Ryu holding it tightly.

"Good day, ma'am." He said before leaving, Ryu closing the door behind him.

She was glad that he wasn't dead, or so she was told, and slowly sat back down, opening the envelope. She pulled out a small photo of Po and Mitch in color, as well as a letter. She smiled at seeing his face, Po and Mitch having their arm around the other's shoulder and smiling for the camera, each holding up their M-16. Ryu read the letter.

_Dear Ryu,_

_I'm really sorry about not being able to write to you all this time! Please don't be mad at me! We've been going on so many missions that I haven't really had the time to write a letter like this, but I HAD to write this now because I wouldn't not wish you a happy birthday (I'm writing from a helicopter)! I was thinking of what to give you as a present from here in 'Nam, but I didn't know what you wanted! So I got you this picture of me and Po. We took this only a few days before I wrote this, just wanting to show you that we're happy, healthy, and of course, alive! Charlie's a real pain in the ass these days, but we've learned to outsmart him. When we're not on missions, we wait for our next one as we listen to The Beatles! Now you see that Vietnam isn't that bad after all! The only thing that I regret about joining the forces Ryu is not getting to see you, and damn it, I lost my only photo of you in a rice patty! Can you send me another please, babe? My tour of duty is GREATLY extended thanks to being a Green Beret, but I'll be fine. Besides, we still get three weeks military leave every year (I can't wait to see you next November)! And guess what? 'Nam is just like California in at least one way! We can surf! Me and Po ruled the waves, and all the other GIs had to sit on the beach and watch! To calm you down and let you feel that I'm safer, I'll keep my head down more and watch my back. Po already does the second part though (a little too much honestly). I'm sorry I'm not there for your birthday, CE, and Christmas Day. God will watch over me and I'll be fine. Take care of yourself, and be careful with all of those riots going on, now I wouldn't want YOU to get hurt now would I? Stay safe, and may God be with you._

_Your boyfriend,_

_Mitch_

* * *

Mitch's arms were bound to the top of the bamboo cage, his head slumped against the top of it while he was submerged in the cage up to his shoulders. Po was beside him in another cage, in the same way. For nearly two weeks they had rotted in those cages, receiving little rice a day. They were Tai Lung's "special guests", and were not tortured or killed sooner. Anger filled their minds at Koru, who they believed to have betrayed them. However, he was their only hope of escape. They were in Camp Chun, in an underground part of the camp.

They constantly heard yells and screams from the torture room, and then dead silence as they were killed or their tongue and vocal cords were cut out. The two were fucked and they knew it.

They heard Vietcong laughing, and Mitch's ears perked up.

"Po?" Mitch whispered, and Po slowly turned to him. "I think it's our turn. Stay strong, don't give them anything; remember what we trained for."

Po bit his lip and nodded nervously. Four Vietcong walked into the room, pulling the two out of their cages and throwing them to the ground. They laughed, pulling out knives. The Vietcong began cutting off the leeches latching onto the Americans, taking flesh with it. The Vietcong laughed again and kicked them in the face, beginning to taunt them.

Tai Lung walked in, ordering them to stop in Vietnamese. Luckily for Mitch, he knew Vietnamese and spoke it fluently. He knew everything they were saying, and would say. Tai Lung ordered them to take them to the torture room and they obeyed, following the general with the two Green Berets being dragged behind them. They saw the room, seeing cells going into the wall holding Po and Mitch's men from the team they went on the mission with, as well as additional GIs.

In the corner was a bloody square, where Kann was on his knees and was being hit over and over again with a club by a large White Tiger. Kann was grinning through the pain.

"That all you got? Your grandmother could hit harder than you!" Kann said as blood rushed down his head, laughing.

The White Tiger held the bloody club and raised it. He wore no shirt and had on Russian combat boots, with camouflage pants. An AK-47 with a strap was over his shoulder, as well as two sheathed machetes, and two belts of ammo went around his shoulders. He was much larger than Po or Mitch, and one could argue much stronger as well. He snarled and began to hit Kann again and again, still receiving the same response.

"Is that seriously all you got? I've been tortured by Vietcong before, I have experience!" Kann said, and the White Tiger raised the club again but was stopped by Tai Lung.

"Stop, Devastator." Tai Lung growled, and the monster obeyed.

"It is clear that he will not speak, so put him back in the cell!" The general commanded, and the tiger did so.

Towards the other corner of the room was a table with two chairs, and a GI sat between two Vietcong soldiers, standing and pointing their weapons at him. The American was bloody and tattered, and had given up. Tai Lung grinned and went over, pulling out a knife and slicing open his throat, letting the blood pour onto the table and letting his body fall to the ground.

"You fucking son of a bitch!" Mitch roared, making Tai Lung laugh wickedly.

"Captain Merindus, I pray that you talk." Tai Lung said laughing. "Otherwise…well, we'll turn up the voltage even more."

Mitch turned back to Po and nodded, accepting what would happen to him next. They picked him up and placed him on a table, tying him up and strapping cords onto him. Tai Lung laughed as he came over to him, noticing his necklace.

Tai Lung pulled out the bloody blade and pulled up the necklace to his eyes, grinning at the cross as it was connected to Mitch's neck from the dog tag beads.

"Religious, are you?" Tai Lung asked, hearing a growl from Mitch. "I assure you that once you feel what this does to you, you will denounce your maker in order to escape the pain and suffering this brings. I will break your faith!"

Tai Lung cranked up a knob, sending electricity into the tiger. Mitch gritted his teeth and closed his eyes, his hands clenching into fists as he tried to remain silent during the pain. Tai Lung turned the knob back down, laughing evilly. Mitch was panting, but never said a word.

"Let's see if we crank it up a little." Tai Lung said, twisting the knob much farther than before.

Mitch shook violently, still trying to make not to say a single word.

"Come on, captain. All you have to do is denounce your maker." Tai Lung said, laughing evilly as he suffered.

Mitch did nothing, knowing that he would rather die than denounce God.

"Stop!" Po yelled, Tai Lung turning and switching off the electricity.

"Captain, do you wish to take his place in torment?" Tai Lung asked, grinning.

Po nodded, and Tai Lung ordered Mitch to be taken back. Mitch fell unconscious, and the Vietcong dragged him back to the other room where his cage lay.

_Stay strong, Po_. The panda told himself as he was not taken to the shock table, but to a hook hanging from the ceiling. Tai Lung thrust it into his shoulder, making the panda grunt in pain and lifted the hook up, making the panda hang from the ground. Po kept grunting, beginning to pant as he grasped the hook and tried to pull himself up to relieve some pressure on his flesh.

Tai Lung laughed evilly and walked around Po, pushing him and making him sway from side to side.

"Why did you and your team come here, captain? What is your purpose?" Tai Lung demanded, receiving no response.

For ten more minutes Tai Lung questioned him, receiving no response. Koru rushed in.

"General Lung, he has had enough; let him live." Koru said in Vietnamese.

Tai Lung snarled. "What makes you give the orders?" He roared.

"I don't give orders, but I do know when someone is not going to talk." Koru said, crossing his arms.

Tai Lung ordered Devastator to take the panda off of the hook, and he did so, dragging him back to his cage. Tai Lung looked at Koru.

"It will not matter; one of them at least will die in thirty minutes in a game of Russian Roulette." Tai Lung said and stormed off into another room.

Devastator walked out of the room that Po and Mitch were being held in and Koru passed him, ordering the guards there to leave while he "interrogated" the prisoners there. He kneeled in front of Po's cage.

"Po," Koru said, the panda looking up.

Blood was reddening the murky water that Po was being held in, and Mitch was still unconscious, blood dripping out of his nose. Koru awoke Mitch, the tiger glaring at him as well as the panda.

"Traitor," Mitch murmured.

"I am not a traitor; I am a double agent that provides Lung with false information and the Americans with the true secrets." Koru whispered. "I apologize for not telling you sooner; it was supposed to be a secret. Tai Lung will have the two of you play Russian Roulette in thirty minutes, and that is your only time to escape." Koru said.

"How?" Po asked.

"I have hidden all of you and the GI's weapons near their cells, and you must begin fighting the Vietcong around you and I will take care of the rest of them. Then we move out of the camp, freeing all live GIs and getting out of here to a landing zone ten miles from here, where evac will meet us, since I already radioed in to them." Koru said.

Po nodded, and Mitch said nothing. Koru wished them luck and left, bringing the guards back in to avoid suspicion. When the time came, the guards pulled them out of the cages again and brought them to the table and chairs that the GI had been slayed by Tai Lung at, and were forced to sit down. Koru stood in the corner of the room, and Tai Lung left to meet his new…allies.

Mitch was breathing heavily, guns pointed at him and Po.

"How do we do this?" Mitch asked Po.

"No talk, play!" A Vietcong soldier said and placed a Python revolver on the table.

The gun was loaded with one bullet, and Po and Mitch were to be forced to put the gun at their own head and pull the trigger until one was killed.

"Shoot now GI, or you die anyways!"

"You can't kill me!" Mitch roared, being hit with the butt of an enemy rifle for his disrespect.

"Mitch, no." Po said.

The Vietcong soldier picked up the gun and spun the chambers three times, then set it in front of Mitch.

"Shoot GI!"

Mitch growled and grabbed the gun, pointing it at his own head.

"FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!" He yelled before pulling the trigger.

He heard a click as the bullet was not in that chamber, and dropped it onto the table. The Vietcong hit him with the butt of their rifles and now ordered Po to take the gun. He knew it was now time to act. He pulled it to his head, his heart racing.

Mitch nodded, and took a deep breath. It was a gamble for Po, betting that the next chamber of the six chamber revolver held the bullet. He suddenly pressed the gun to the chest of a Vietcong and fired, driving the bullet through his heart and pulling out a Russian CZ-75 pistol from his holster and beginning to shoot Vietcong around the room and Mitch broke the neck of another. Koru downed seven VC, saving both of the Green Berets lives.

They heard shouts down the hall as more Vietcong were coming into the room.

"The weapons are to the left of the cells, dig them up!" Koru yelled as he picked up an AK-47 and began fighting the Vietcong back down the tunnel, stopping at the start of the tunnel and holding the line.

Po and Mitch jumped up and dug into the dirt, finding sniper rifles, M-16s, pistols, and even two M60s. They busted open the cells and found Kann, Kajirn, Xueren, and Jiraiya. Another American, a wolf who was a lieutenant, named Gravidal Bian picked up his scoped M21 and dusted it off. The other warriors picked up their weapons and Mitch and Po found their pistols and rifles.

Po and Mitch assumed command, leading them all down the tunnel with Koru behind them. They found VC charging the other direction at them and shot them down, determined to avenge their fallen comrades. They went up and got out of the underground, ending up in an open area surrounded by huts. The Americans engaged the Vietcong, managing to defeat them with few deaths. Suddenly, they heard the roar of a helicopter.

Americans cheered, believing it to be their extract, but Po and Mitch knew otherwise.

"Everyone get down!" Mitch commanded, and everyone dropped to the ground as a Russian Hind Gunship opened fire with its rockets and miniguns, spraying the Americans and killing those that were not able to drop down.

The helicopter banked and went to a high hut, dropping a rope and Siberian Tigers beginning to slide down it.

"Russian special forces!" Po yelled, shooting a Russian in the back and making him fall to his death.

The Spetsnaz dropped down to the hut and engaged the Americans, beginning to kill some of the outmatched Americans. Po and Mitch charged while the rest held the position, dodging bullets as they drew closer and opened fire, killing most of the tigers with that burst. They jumped onto the hut and began to fight with close quarters combat, Mitch breaking the jaw of a Russian with the butt of his gun while Po thrust a knife into a foe's chest.

Soon the Spetsnaz were all dead, proof that the Berets were a stronger force (even with fewer numbers at that range as well). The helicopter was still active, however. Po picked up an RPG as he and Po jumped off of the hut, rolling to the ground as it exploded. The helicopter banked and was returning for an attack run when Po aimed down the sights and fired, the helicopter exploding and its wreckage falling to the ground.

The Americans cheered and ran to a garage camouflaged with leaves on it. Po picked up the RPG and several rounds from a dead Vietcong and went to the garage. Mitch got into a Russian jeep, armed with a machine gun on the back. The tiger sat in the passenger side and Po got into the back, manning the gun and handing the RPG and spare ammo to Mitch.

Koru got into the front and drove out of the garage, the rest of the Americans following in a large truck, and the Americans sped down the road, the jeep going behind the truck to defend it as Vietcong appearing at the camp began to open fire back at them. Po fired a burst of the machine gun, dropping five dead quickly.

The jeep went behind the truck, speeding as fast as it could go down the road. Suddenly, two Hinds were seen in the rear view mirror Koru noticed.

"We've got company." He said coolly, Po and Mitch turning around as the ground behind them began to be pelted by bullets and rockets.

Po opened fire on one Hind, and Mitch at the other. Mitch's rocket was inaccurate and missed its target, though Mitch was clearly aimed right at it. Po was piercing through the armor of the Hind slowly, and finally the helicopter exploded. Mitch's target drew too close and the tiger fired another rocket, blowing it to hell.

He laughed and high fived Po, just as more bullets began to whizz around them. Behind them was a convoy of jeeps, Vietcong driving and firing from them. Po and Mitch fired back, Po blasting a jeep into the air and the wreckage slammed into another jeep. Mitch fired his last rocket and destroyed two jeeps, and began firing his M-16.

They came to a flat field; the evac zone. Po and Mitch jumped out of the jeep as Koru parked it behind trees and he himself jumped out, assisting the two as they fired at the Vietcong. The other GIs formed a line in the tree line and pushed the Vietcong back, until they heard an unholy rumble. Now in front of the Vietcong transports was a Russian T54 battle tank, and behind it was even more Spetsnaz.

The tank fired, blasting trees into the air. They didn't have weapons to beat that. _This is it,_ Po thought. Suddenly, they began to hear music in the distance. Mitch grinned as the beginning music of "Fortunate Son" by _Creedence Clearwater Revival _played. The tank and its convoy began to back up, just as a rocket slammed into the T54, blowing its turret clean off.

Po turned and saw the air filled with hueys, firing rockets and miniguns at the convoy. The Russians and their Vietnamese allies retreated, being shot as they did so. The panda saw the familiar teeth on the front of Red' s helicopter as it landed, he, Mitch, and Koru piling into it.

"We thought you two were gonners!" Red said grinning.

"VC can't kill us." Po said, panting.

Mason and Chase laughed.

"Glad to have you back!" Mason said, shaking the hands of his two superiors.

Koru just sat on the bench, checking his M21. The helicopter lifted off, leading the others into the air as they escaped the clutches of the Russians and Vietcong.

"Say, was that a fricking T54?" Red asked.

Po nodded. "And Spetsnaz; it looks like they really are involved, much more than we thought so."

"Aye," Chase said.

Mitch glared at Koru. "Give me your weapons."

"Excuse me?" Koru asked.

"I said give me them, dammit! That's an order!" Mitch roared, and Koru obeyed.

Mitch set the weapons on the other side of him, out of Koru's reach.

"What are you doing?" Koru asked.

"I don't trust you." Mitch said.

"Why?"

"A lot of good men died because of what you did. You could have broken us out sooner, thus taking away such bloodshed!"

"I broke you two out when I got my only chance!" Koru exclaimed.

Mitch shook his head and looked out the side of the helicopter, still thinking of the Russian interference. The Russians were not supposed to be here. This could mean that war could spread past Vietnam; a war that would be known as WWIII if not stopped.

**A/N: Po and Mitch escape the evil clutches of Tai Lung and the torture camp! I'm sorry if that chapter bothered you with the realism there, but that's what really happened to US and South Vietnamese soldiers. That's why I respect 'Nam vets especially! Anyways, I'll have the next chapter out by the end of the week probably. Next chapter: Back to Tigress. Po returns to see Tigress before he and Po go on military leave to the United States. Please review, share, comment, and please, no flames!**


	5. Back to Tigress

**Kung Fu Panda: Apocalypse Now **by

Mitchicus

Chapter 5: Back to Tigress

**A/N: Another quick update! This story has OCs from SilverTigerDirector (Koru and Yunwei, Jiu-Ne, Ko-Ri, and Tigress' real name, Hei-Wa), Racin Mason 24 (Xueren), The Mysteriouswatcher (Kajirn), taskarrthetwisted (Kann), Gravidal The Dragon (Gravidal Bian), Psychic ninja (Jiraiya), and Tigerizza (as herself). The story is beginning to change up now, hope you all like it! And now, for the chapter!**

December 25, 1965.

The humidity and sunlight made even the toughest man suffer. Though it was Christmas, there was no break in the heat. A squad of Vietcong soldiers, hunting for the American forces, trekked through the jungle. Little did they know that they were being followed.

Koru crept the jungle, glaring at the Vietcong soldiers. Ever since he saw their atrocities, he hated them completely. He silently went behind the group, ducking behind several trees. A straggler had somewhat separated himself from the group, and the White Tiger waited for him.

As he passed, Koru covered the soldier's mouth with his paw and pulled him towards him with the other. The soldier tried to scream and alert his comrades, but it was too late. Koru retracted his claws and cut open the soldier's throat, holding him there until he went limp.

The tiger silently dropped him onto the ground and continued on. At the front of the squad was an officer by the looks of it, and Koru went onto a tree, pulling out his M21 and held his breath, aiming at the officer's head. He fired, blowing the officer's head off and dropping his body to the ground.

The rest of the soldiers began panicking, with no one to lead them and not knowing where the sniper had shot from. Another shot rang out, dropping yet another VC to the ground. The Vietcong soon realized where the bullets were coming from and opened fire in Koru's direction, the tiger jumping off of the tree just before it was shredded by bullets.

Koru rolled onto the ground and pulled out his pistol, shooting it and killing two more VC. He then charged, evading the two survivor's bullets and cutting open the first's throat with his claws, dropping him to the ground. The last soldier tried to shoot him point-blank, but Koru kicked the gun out of his hands and pulled out his knife, stabbing him in the chest.

He pushed him onto the ground, the Vietcong still alive and begging for mercy. Koru showed no mercy and roared, pulling out the knife and thrusting it into him several more times, finally killing him. The White Tiger pulled out the knife and stood up, looking at the few of the many men he had just killed that day.

He pulled out his backpack. The pack had been given to him by Mitch to prove that he was not a traitor; to kill fifty Vietcong soldiers and take their red, communist armbands as a symbol of the confirmed kill. He saw that by the squad that he killed, he had just enough confirmed kills. He collected the bloody armbands off of them and went out of the jungle, finding an empty field. He sat down and a rock and set down his M21, pulling out his portable radio.

"Mitch, I'm at the field with the fifty." He said impatiently.

He waited ten minutes, and began to hear rotor blades as Red's helicopter came towards him, and turned its side to him. Mitch was holding onto the side of the helicopter and dangling off of it, an M16 in his hand and a cigarette in his mouth. The huey landed and Mitch stepped off, walking towards Koru. He stopped, looking at the back pack.

"You got them all?" Mitch asked.

"Yes, 'captain'." Koru said, making Mitch growl.

Koru handed him the pack, and Mitch opened it, revealing the armbands. He nodded, and put it over his shoulder.

"Apologizes for the somewhat suicide mission, but when you are former NVA and are the one that is untouched when we get captured, it's hard to trust you."

"If it weren't for me, you, Po, and the rest of the GIs wouldn't have made it out of that camp." Koru growled.

Mitch grinned. "Maybe, maybe. But the NVA are a challenging enemy, and I wouldn't want to put my men in jeopardy if there was a spy in my outfit. But now I know, so let's get out of here, Koru."

Koru nodded and picked up his sniper rifle and followed Mitch into the helicopter. Mitch put his rifle over his shoulder (he had recently added a strap on his weapon so he could carry it that way) and they both sat down. The helicopter climbed, Koru noticing that they were not going back to GI Beach.

"Where are we heading?" He asked.

"Kunee Village again; Po's down there, we got to go pick him up and get back." Mitch said.

* * *

Thirty minutes ago.

Po got out of the helicopter as it went back up into the sky, and walked up to Kunee Village. He greeted the villagers and GIs guarding it and found Ko-Ri by his home. The panda bowed.

"Ko-Ri, I was wondering if I may be able to have lunch with your daughter, if that is not rude or anything sir." Po said.

Ko-Ri smiled. "Nonsense, of course you can. Hei-Wa, get out here!"

Tigress walked out of the hut and smiled warmly when she saw Po, the panda returning the smile. Ko-Ri looked at them both and smiled.

"I will prepare our home for your meal." Ko-Ri said and hurried into the house.

"You got me into a date without asking me?" Tigress asked laughing.

"I knew you wouldn't mind." Po said smiling.

Tigress nodded and hugged him, making Po's face redden.

"I've missed you. Why haven't you been able to visit me in a while?" Tigress asked.

"Well…I'll tell you at dinner." Po said, and Tigress nodded, and finally Ko-Ri returned, leading them into the home.

There was a table pulled up with two chairs at it, and rice porridge with red beans and salt were placed on it. Po helped Tigress sit down and sat at his own table, Ko-Ri bringing in tea before leaving again.

"So where were you, Po?" Tigress asked, now alone and wanting answers.

Po sighed. "We were…captured by the Vietcong, and were there since yesterday."

Tigress gasped. "Are you alright? What did they do to you?"

Po pulled back part of his camouflage jacket and revealed his bandaged shoulder.

"They tortured us, and tied me to a hook and dangled me from the ceiling." Po responded.

"I'm so sorry!" Tigress said. "Did any of your Americans…die? What about Mitch?

Po sighed again. "We lost a few Americans who weren't under my command through the torture and escape, but luckily not one of my men; still, they were good Americans that died. Mitch is fine, and he feels that he is better after that experiences, claiming that he is…electrified."

"Oh," Tigress said, shivering at the thought of what happened to Mitch. "You must be hungry after them starving you! Come on, eat the food."

Po smiled and began to eat, Tigress watching him engulf the soup and the beans. She slowly began to eat, taking smaller bites than what the panda was taking.

"So what do you do here?" Po asked, wiping his mouth.

"I tend the rice patties occasionally, but I usually just stand around. There hasn't been much action for me until you showed up." Tigress said smiling.

"Aww, thanks." Po said.

"How is the war going?" Tigress asked.

"Besides getting captured, every mission is successful for us. If only we can get the American people to realize that we are actually winning. However, I've realized that Johnson has made this somewhat political. He refuses to invade Cambodia, Laos, and even North Vietnam, and if we could just get troops into these places now, we could win easily."

"That is unfortunate." Tigress said. "How long is your tour of duty?"

"It was going to be one year – now it is about two and a half because of our positions and our duties." Po responded.

"Are you nervous about having such a long tour?" Tigress asked.

Po laughed and shook his head. "No, but it's Mitch I'm worried about. He's too reckless; he takes too many risks. I swore to his girlfriend that I would bring him back home alive, and I'm going to do just that."

"How is he so reckless?"

"When we were getting captured, he was determined to take down as many Vietcong as he could and go down fighting. He also is one that likes to charge headfirst into enemy positions, and I hope it doesn't get him killed one day; I don't want him to try something stupid."

Tigress nodded. "I'm sure he can take care of himself though."

Po nodded. "That's why I'm worried; he may get too headstrong."

They discussed politics, past times, and what they would do after the war.

"I want to come to the United States, Po. I want to be with you." Tigress said, resting her paw on his.

Po smiled and Tigress leaned forward, giving him a quick kiss. Po's eyes widened and his face reddened, Tigress laughing. They suddenly heard "Twist and Shout" by _The Beatles _playing and the sound of rotor blades.

Po snapped out of his daze and looked at her. "Well, I guess I'll have to go back then."

"I guess so too. Take care of yourself Po, and don't forget to visit me." Tigress said.

"I will." Po said, and the two got up.

They exited the hut and Po thanked Ko-Ri for letting him in the house and for the meal, and he went with Tigress to the hovering helicopter. He hopped on and waved to Tigress as they pulled away.

Po sighed and leaned his head against the back of the helicopter, thinking of Tigress while those in the rest of the helicopter were making jokes and listening to the music.

"Oh Po, forgot to say Merry Christmas!" Mitch said, handing him another magazine to his M16. "Here's your present!"

The group laughed as they went back to GI Beach, and landed next to the commanding officers' new barracks. Koru went off to his section's barracks when Mitch saw one of his men sitting on the beach, a M1 Garand at his side as he watched the waves. Two M1911 pistols were holstered on both sides of him, one had "Heaven" written on it and the other "Angel". Mitch found it strange that a man would name weapons like that, but dismissed it. He was a tiger with blue eyes, wearing a standard helmet, flak jacket, and camouflage pants. Po went back to the barracks while Mitch walked up to the soldier, realizing who it was.

"Lieutenant Travis?" Mitch asked, making the soldier slightly jump at the mention of his name.

He got up and turned to his commanding officer, saluting. "Yes sir?"

"At ease. Just trying to see what you're up to; watching the waves?"

He nodded and sat back down. "It's beautiful."

"Why are you wearing a helmet when there's no VC anywhere near here-"

Mitch pulled of his helmet and his eyes widened as he saw long, red hair pop out from under the helmet. He gasped, Travis' eyes widening that her cover had been blown. He was a woman.

Mitch dropped the helmet, his eye twitching. The female got up quickly.

"I…I can explain." She reasoned.

"A woman in my platoon? Explain that, 'Lieutenant Travis'!" Mitch yelled.

She was silent for several moments. "I lied about my gender, so what? You've read my report, and know how I fight!"

Mitch growled. "This is a shameful moment. This entire experiment could be shut down thanks to you!"

"You can send me home and lose a good soldier or keep me here, and benefit from it." She said firmly. "Your choice, sir."

Mitch yelled for Po, the panda running out with an opened beer in hand. At seeing her, he dropped his can in shock.

"Why the hell do we have a girl here?" Po exclaimed.

"That's what I've been asking. What do you think we should do? We've read her file, and I'll have to visit Westmoreland today if we want to keep her."

Po looked at her, seeing in her eyes that she was not afraid of the battlefield, and was prepared to lay down her life for her country.

"She'll be fine here." Po said.

Mitch nodded, and turned to her. "What is your real name?"

"Tigerizza," She responded.

"Well Tigerizza, I'll talk to General Westmoreland, and that will decide if you can stay here."

"Thank you, sir." She said, Mitch nodding and turning to Po. "Tell the rest of the troops, and take care of the camp while I'm gone."

Po nodded, and Mitch went to change into something more presentable for the general. He put on his ceremonial uniform, which held his paratrooper medal, Purple Heart (for being wounded and tortured by the enemy), and captain's bars. He also put on his Green Beret and kept on his combat boots, yet putting his holster on to keep his M1911 handy.

He found Red who reluctantly boarded the helicopter and took him into the air. They went to Saigon, and Mitch walked to Westmoreland's headquarters. He passed the Military Police and was allowed in. He went in front of General Westmoreland, a greying wolf and saluted.

"At ease, son." He said, Mitch doing so. "What is it that you wish to speak with me about?"

"Sir, you've heard of Barracuda Platoon, correct?"

The general nodded. "I am the one that chose the men to be in your group; you're a hell of a fighting force."

"Thank you sir. I wish to ask something of you. You see sir, I recently found out that a profound lieutenant in my group…is a female."

"A woman?" Westmoreland asked, shocked. "Are you here just to report this to me?"

Mitch shook his head. "No sir, I wish to keep her."

"Keep a woman? Why?" He asked.

"She's one heck of a fighter, sir. Her record shows it. I believe that we need all the best fighters we can get in this group." Mitch said.

Westmoreland nodded. "Just tell me one more thing, captain. Why do you care so much about your group like this?"

"We need all the best men to get the job done for our country, sir. We need all the help we can get." Mitch said.

Westmoreland smiled. "Excellent words, captain. For that you've earned a promotion."

Mitch's eyes widened. "Um…thank you….sir."

Westmoreland laughed and stood up, going out from his desk and holding two Major emblems. He took off Mitch's captains' bars and put on the two emblems on his left and right collar.

"You are a patriot, major. That's what I like about you."

"Thank you, sir." Mitch said and saluted, Westmoreland returning the salute.

"Better get going captain; they'll need you back there. After all, it is Christmas Day." The general said laughing.

"Thank you sir." Mitch said and shook the general's hand.

The tiger left Saigon and returned to the beach, bringing the good news that she could stay. The platoon kept its power with this action, and they went on high risk missions the next year, achieving victory after victory.

* * *

November 3, 1966.

Nearly a year had passed since Camp Chun, and it was time for Po and Mitch to travel on military leave. Po and Mitch shook hands with their troops in the early morning, wishing them good luck. The two had decided to leave Koru in charge of the troops in their absence, showing their trust. They walked to the airfield, Kajirn and Kann talking with Mitch while Xueren, Gravidal, and Jiraiya talked with Po.

A C-130 was starting its propellers, and the two turned to their men to say goodbye one last time. They were in their ceremonial uniforms, each wearing their Green Beret yet still carrying their M16s (which they would bring home with them as well, since it was their own weapon). Po had said goodbye to Tigress the day before, promising to return to her (he would have to extend his tour of duty in order to see her more if he had to). He would never just let her go now and forget about her.

"I guess this is it, you guys." Mitch said.

"Nice serving with you, sir." Kajirn said, saluting. "We'll be waiting for you to come back in a couple of weeks.

Mitch nodded and Xueren and Kann stepped forward. "We'll wait for you guys to come back, and get back to beating up commies." Xueren said.

The group laughed and Kann spoke. "Take care of yourselves. After all, with all those riots and everything, your country is more dangerous than Vietnam."

Po and Mitch laughed. "Ok, thanks for the tip." Po said.

Jiraiya grinned. "We'll still have some fun here, killing commies, but we'll miss you too."

"Thanks man, see you in a couple of weeks." Mitch said.

The two turned and went towards the C-130, going up the back ramp and waving one last time before getting inside. The ramp was closed and the plane soon took off, carrying them all the way back to California. After hours of flight, it landed in their state. The ramp was lowered, and their group of friends stood to greet them. They grabbed their things quickly and took them off of the plane, running to their friends.

Mitch dropped his things and wrapped his arms around Ryu and pulled her into a deep kiss, the two happy to finally see each other again. Po meanwhile was tackled by Monkey, Viper, Crane, and Song, the four glad to see him as well. It was as if everything would go back to normal. Unfortunately, that was not the case. There was a war raging, and the Tet Offensive was around the corner.

**A/N: Po visits Tigress and the two go home for military leave! Please don't flame me about Tigerizza being a girl and all, I just accept people's OCs into my stories as long as they're manageable. Next chapter: Khe Sanh. The two spend their time on military leave and go back to Vietnam, getting drawn into the epic battle for the outpost. Please review, share, comment, and please, no flames!**


	6. Khe Sanh

**Kung Fu Panda: Apocalypse Now **by

Mitchicus

Chapter 6: Khe Sanh

**A/N: It is time for the epic battle of Khe Sanh! This story has OCs from SilverTigerDirector (Koru and Yunwei, Jiu-Ne, Ko-Ri, and Tigress' real name, Hei-Wa), Racin Mason 24 (Xueren), The Mysteriouswatcher (Kajirn), taskarrthetwisted (Kann), Gravidal The Dragon (Gravidal Bian), Psychic ninja (Jiraiya), Tigerizza (as herself), and Keelin The Tiger (Keeling Falco). But before we go into that battle, our heroes still get to enjoy their military leave. And now for the chapter!**

November 4, 1966.

Mitch's eyes snapped open, thinking that he would find himself in his barracks. Instead, he found himself in Ryu's home, his girlfriend curled up next to him. The tiger smiled at seeing her. Though he was pleased with fighting in Vietnam, the only thing he regretted was leaving Ryu.

The tiger looked over to the dresser next to him and saw his M1911 sitting on it neatly. Mitch slowly got off of the bed, making sure not to disturb his love while he left the bed. He left the room and put on his civilian clothes, which seemed to have vanished from his memory when being away for ten years. A black leather jacket, blue jeans, tennis shoes, and aviator sunglasses.

Mitch chuckled and put on his clothes, looking into the mirror and capturing himself in the moment of being in civilian clothes. His stainless steel cross was visible over his white t-shirt, and the tiger pulled out his wallet. The wallet had been stuffed to the max with military pay (a great amount thanks to being a CO of Barracuda). He knew what he would buy, and he had already picked the right one.

He went to his car and got inside, starting it and leaving the home. He went to the Brianna Jewelry Store and parked his car, getting out and going into the store. He went past rings and came to the one that he had picked. A golden ring with a diamond on it, one that he thought Ryu would be most pleased with.

He called over an employee, and asked the price.

"Eight hundred and ninety nine dollars, sir." The employee said.

Mitch nodded, not worrying about the price. He paid for the beautiful ring and was given it, Mitch taking it in a box and coming back to Ryu's house before she awoke. He had placed the box safely in an inside pocket of his jacket. Ryu still slept soundly, Mitch pacing the floor for her to awake. He decided to go down and do a hundred fifty push-ups, something he had done every day in Vietnam. He did not want to get out of the habit.

He heard a knock at the door and answered it. Po stood at the door, smiling. The panda hugged Mitch.

"How's that first day of peace going, Mitch?" Po asked, breaking the hug.

"Pretty good, come outside and I'll tell you what I got." Mitch said and took Po back into the front porch, closing the door behind him.

"I just got a ring for her; I'm going to propose."

"Wow Mitch!" Po yelled, stopping when Mitch motioned for him to be quieter. "That's awesome! When are you going to propose?" Po whispered.

"Tonight; I have it all planned out." Mitch said.

"Well that's awesome. When will the marriage be?"

"The next military leave." Mitch said, nodding.

"Oh, she's going to be crushed man. That's a year away." Po said frowning.

"It'll be fine, Po. What, do you think I'm going to die being so close to getting back for good?" Mitch asked, laughing. "A year and a half more and I'll be back with Ryu, there to stay."

"I hope so." Po said nodding. "Anyways, what do you have planned for her?"

"Well, can I tell you tomorrow when everyone will be excited? I think Master Shifu will have a heart attack, unfortunately."

"No, he'll be fine." Po said laughing.

The door opened, both of them jumping when it opened. Ryu stood at the door, yawning.

"What are you two up to?" She asked playfully.

"Oh, nothing." Po lied. "I'll see you two later." Po said and walked off.

Mitch went back in the home and sat down on the couch, Ryu sitting next to him and pulling down his head, letting it rest on her lap as she stroked his fur. The television was on, playing color footage of the war. Mitch watched as his comrades were pulled out of the jungles and evacuated by helicopter. Then it switched to what was happening in the United States itself, showing the riots and their destruction.

"Crazy, isn't it." Ryu said. "That's why I got that Smith and Wesson over there." Ryu said, and pointed to a revolver on the table.

Mitch sat up and looked at her. "A .44 Magnum? I never would have guessed you getting a gun, let alone the most powerful handgun in the world. I know you're a tough girl and all, and that's why I like you too, but I never would have seen that coming."

The Smith and Wesson Model 29 was loaded, sitting neatly on the table.

"Well, I have to defend myself against these crazy protesters. Who knows, it may come in handy soon. Mitch, tell me what happened to you when you were captured."

Mitch sighed, and turned away. "We were on a mission. I, Po and our team were going up a river and when we got off of our boat, we were captured. We lost three men that day. They took us into a partially underground camp and starved us…and tortured us. They tied me to a table and electrocuted me, then they stabbed Po with a large hook and made him hang for quite some time. A friend of ours helped us escape, but I'll never forget what happened to me and what I saw."

"I'm so sorry." Ryu said, hugging him. "Are you alright?"

"Physically, yes." Mitch said. "Emotionally…"

"Don't say that. You're acting fine, and you'll stay that way. Ok?"

"Ok." Mitch said sighing, Ryu kissing him on the cheek.

Evening came, and Mitch's heart rate increased. He was never nervous in battle, but now it was time to propose to the love of his life. Would she accept him though she told him that she loved him, or deny him? He would have to find out for himself.

"Hey, do you want to go down to the beach?" Mitch asked.

Ryu smiled. "I'd love to."

Mitch offered her his arm and she laughed, accepting it. He escorted her out and helped her into the car, then got into it himself. He felt his pocket and found the box still there, making him sigh with relief.

The car went down towards the beach and stopped with it in view. Mitch parked the car and hurried out, helping his girlfriend out and leading her onto the beach. They left their shoes in the car.

"What's all this?" Ryu asked, looking at the scene.

A blanket was sprawled out over the sand, candles around it.

"I thought we'd just have a romantic night." Mitch said smiling.

"I love it, Mitch." Ryu said and sat on the blanket, looking out at the crashing waves.

The beach reminded him of GI Beach back in 'Nam, the only thing it missed was Ryu and the rest of his friends.

"I'm glad you like it." Mitch said and sat next to her. "Back in Vietnam, our headquarters is on the beach, and it's just like this one."

"Don't tell me you surf over there?" Ryu asked smiling.

Mitch nodded. "Oh yeah, sometimes enemy artillery will be falling around us and we'll be surfing."

"Mitch, that's crazy and dangerous! Stop that!" Ryu ordered, Mitch laughing.

They stopped talking, listening to the waves for several moments.

"Ryu, do you love me?" Mitch asked.

"Of course I do." Ryu said smiling.

"I love you more than anything in the world. I'm glad that I found the right girl, Ryu." Mitch said happily.

"Aww, thanks Mitch." Ryu said and hugged him.

She looked at the waves.

"Picture this," Mitch said, pointing out towards the ocean, "A big house built for us sitting right on the ocean, with a pool and patio overlooking the sea. I dream of a house for you and I to live in like that, and I promise that I'll make it happen. The ocean is so beautiful; just like you."

Mitch got on knee, Ryu gasping.

"Ryu," Mitch said, opening the box. "Will you marry me?"

"Yes! Yes, of course I will!" Ryu said and kissed him quickly, and then hugged him.

"I love you so much, Ryu." Mitch said smiling.

"I love you too, Mitch." Ryu said.

After more talking, the night came upon them, and they headed back. Ryu now wore the beautiful ring, dazed that her dream was finally happening. However, they stopped when five college students surrounded their car.

"We don't want any trouble, guys; why don't you go march around the campus instead?" Mitch asked.

"Shut up, asshole, and get out of the car." One said.

"I'll handle this." Mitch said and got out, facing the three on his side. "I'm a Green Beret, and I'm warning you to back off."

One spat on his face in disgust for serving his country, and Mitch was enraged. He punched the student in the face, sending him into the street and beginning to fight the other two. Ryu noticed that one of the students on her side pulled out a pistol and aimed at Mitch. Ryu acted quickly and pulled out her revolver, shooting the protester and making him drop to the ground.

The protesters ran off at the hearing of the gun, and pedestrians fled the area. The protester was wounded, and the cops soon arrived, pointing their guns at Mitch and Ryu.

"Great," Mitch said sarcastically, but not at Ryu of course, and motioned for Ryu to drop the gun.

She did so, and the cops handcuffed them. They were interrogated for what happened at first, but when they discovered the protester with the loaded gun in his hand, they realized that Ryu shot him in self-defense.

"How many were there?" A police officer asked.

"Five, including this one. They surrounded our car and told us to get out, and when I said that I didn't want trouble, one spat on me and I began to fight them." Mitch said.

"And this prompted one of them to pull out a weapon?"

"Yes," Ryu said.

"I see. Well, you two are free to go, sorry about this incident." The officer said as he and his allies took off their handcuffs and left them, taking the wounded protester with them.

Mitch sighed. "I'm sorry, Ryu. I wish that didn't happen tonight, and it would just be a romantic night, you know?"

"It's ok, Mitch. You didn't do anything wrong, and I still loved tonight. I'm so happy we're getting married." She said smiling.

They made a quick kiss and went back into the car, driving back to Ryu's home. They told their friends the news, and they were overjoyed. Now the leave was over, and Po and Mitch stood at the airport once again, the C-130 starting its engines.

Mitch had not brought his M16 with him, saying that Ryu could make better use of it there and that he would use a machine gun when he got back instead. Po said farewell to his friends once again, and Mitch kissed Ryu passionately.

"Take this, so you can remember me." Ryu said, handing him a silver locket with a small chain, to be worn on his wrist.

Mitch smiled and opened it, seeing a picture of Ryu inside of it.

"It's not the manliest thing for I guy to have, but what are you going to do." Mitch said, making Ryu laugh. "But I'll take it wherever I go. Thank you, Ryu. I also got you a little something."

"Please, you already gave me an M16 as a present." Ryu said laughing.

Mitch handed her a golden bracelet with a silver heart on it, making Ryu gasp by its beauty. On the heart was written the words _Our love conquers all challenges_.

"Mitch…it's beautiful." She said smiling, and hugged him once more.

"Take care of yourself, and I'll be back on leave for the wedding. Then I'll go on my last tour." Mitch said.

"Be careful, and come home in one piece."

"I will, I promise." Mitch said, and Ryu turned to Po.

"You better make sure he comes back." She said smiling, making Po laugh and nod.

Mitch and Ryu made one more quick kiss before he and Po hurried to the plane, turning once more and waving to their friends before they went into the plane. Ryu sighed, missing him already. The back ramp closed, and the plane went down the runway, climbing into the air and heading towards Vietnam.

Mitch put the locket on his wrist and rolled up the sleeves of his tiger camouflage jacket, while also tying a tiger camouflage bandanna on his head. He found an ammo box and put two belts of M60 ammunition over his shoulders, and strapped a machete to his back. Po took a machete as well, loading his M16 and M1911 early.

The two went back into Vietnam and fought in search and destroy missions, succeeding every time. They returned to the United States in 1967, Mitch finally getting married to Ryu there. They returned to Vietnam once more, landing in December and battling to the end of January so far.

* * *

January 31, 1968.

Tet had begun. Po and Mitch walked casually down the beach, talking to each other. Po and Mitch had their weapons over their shoulders. Suddenly, bullets began to ring out from the tree line, the two diving to the sand. GIs began to die left and right from the sudden surprise attack.

"Ambush!" Po yelled, pointing his M-16 at the trees and beginning to fire.

Suddenly, his radio began to buzz.

"Hello?"

"Captain Ping, get to the airfield on the double! You and your men are to travel to Khe Sanh to defend the base!" Westmoreland said.

"Yes sir." Po said, and told Mitch the orders.

They ducked behind an M48 Patton as it fired into the tree line, Po hearing several screams from the blast. The tank rumbled towards the jungle, Po and his friend beginning to sprint as fast as they could to the waiting C-130 on the runway.

They saw Koru, Xueren, Kajirn, Gravidal, Jiraiya, Tigerizza, and the rest of their men already in the back of the plane. Po and Mitch hurried in, the ramp already closing and the plane beginning to climb quickly.

"What's happening out there?" Kajirn asked.

"Westmoreland told me it's happening at Khe Sanh too, which is where we're going; it must be a major offensive, and the attack on Khe Sanh has been going on for a while." Po responded.

"What's the situation in Khe Sanh?" Tigerizza asked.

"Six thousand troops are surrounded by twenty thousand NVA." Mitch said.

"What are we supposed to do there?" Xueren asked.

"Hold the line I guess." Po said.

"It'll be close quarters; my favorite." Jiraiya said grinning.

"Any enemy armor?" Gravidal asked.

"We'll have to find out." Po said.

Suddenly, the pilot came on the radio.

"Captain Ping, we won't be landing at Khe Sanh; you will be bailing out." The pilot said, everyone's eyes widening. "I'll get the wheels on the runway and slow down a bit, and you all will have to jump off; I can't land because the area is under intense mortar fire."

Then there was dead silence. Mitch laughed and patted Po on the shoulder, standing near the back ramp. Po took the hint and stood up, a little nervous of bailing out. Their troops behind them got up, one by the name of Keelin going up to him.

He wore fingerless gloves that were colored olive drab. He also had on green pants and a green flak jacket, and carried an M-16.

"When did the attack start?" He asked.

"This morning," Po responded.

Suddenly, the back ramp opened, all in the back of the plane grabbing onto something. Mitch grinned and looked down at the jungles on fire below him, and the black clouds of anti-air shells. The plane was shaking from the guns, and it descended towards the Khe Sanh firebase.

"Get ready guys, you got to get out quickly!" Po said, holding his M-16 close.

Mitch sat on a bench near the ramp and sat his M60 on his lap, putting in a five hundred round belt and loading that into a tray to feed the bullets. He also picked up a helmet and put that on, Po doing the same. The White Tiger stood up again, putting the machine gun over his shoulder.

The plane neared the runway, everyone heading towards the ramp to jump off. The plane touched the ground, jolting everyone inside.

"Go, go, go!" Po commanded, everyone jumping off of the plane and onto the ground.

Po and Mitch rolled on the dusty airfield several times, going prone and looking around. Some of the base was in flames, plane and helicopter wreckage on the airfield. Mortars and artillery shells were going off all around them, catching any unfortunate GI in their path.

"Get out of the airfield! Let's move!" Po commanded, getting his men up and the group heading to one of the perimeters of the base.

They dove into a trench, beginning to fire at the advancing enemies like the other GIs were. Hordes of NVA were charging on the perimeter, seeming to be endless in their numbers. Suddenly, an A-1Skyraider whizzed over them and dropped napalm right in front of them, for the NVA were so close.

This postponed the NVA from moving up for a few moments, the communists soon coming back in full force. Koru, Kajirn, and Gravidal pulled out their rifles and began to shoot enemies at a distance. Jiraiya used his AK-47 spraying into the enemy lines. Po, Keelin, Tigerizza, and Kann used their M-16s, while Mitch and Xueren placed their bipods on the walls of the trench and opened fire with their M60s.

Even with such excellent warriors in the fight, the North Vietnamese still kept coming. Ammo began to run low, just as a brave GI dove into the trench with their much needed ammo, risking his life to get it to his American comrades. Po and Mitch's men were scattered around Khe Sanh, holding the line wherever they were.

The situation was grim. Six thousand Americans were surrounded by twenty thousand NVA regulars. Only by the Americans' bravery and the Air Force's accuracy was the base not being overrun.

Suddenly, an enemy grenade fell into the trench. Time froze for those there, but Po acted quickly and picked up the grenade, throwing back at the NVA and killing three in the process.

Two M113 armored personnel carrier went behind them, absorbing the NVA's fire and their gunners shooting at the NVA with M2 Browning's. Po switched his rifle to semi and fired three shots, dropping three to the ground.

Xueren fired a blast of his M60, earning twenty plus kills. Jiraiya hit five with his AK, dropping them to the ground. He wounded another, which unfortunately fell to the ground and could not be seen in order to be finished off. He tossed a grenade in to finish him, hearing a yell before the explosion, and then silence from that communist.

Koru shot down three as they ran in the head, continuing to kill with such deadly accuracy and snarling as he did so. Gravidal tossed two grenades, one killing three and the other killed five. Keelin shot a suicide bomber, the bomb exploding and killing five of his comrades as well. Tigerizza hit three enemies with headshots, switching to fully automatic and killing another three. Kann sprayed his entire magazine into the advancing enemies, killing ten in the process. He was pleased with the result and slapped in another magazine to his M-16.

Po hammered the advancing enemies with his M-16, running low on ammo in his magazine and switching it out for a new one. Mitch however was yelling as he fired an unending blast, spraying the communists left and right and dropping them dead to the ground in such large numbers that less of the attack was focused on that area.

A bullet whizzed through his shoulder however, blood splattering the trench's wall behind him.

"Mitch, you're hit!" Po yelled.

"It won't stop me from killing every single one of these commie bastards!" Mitch roared, continuing to fire.

The group went through ammo so quickly that they would take turns running to the ammo bunker and bringing them back for their comrades, which happened multiple times. The NVA began to fall back, just as another jet roared over and dropped napalm on the communists. This made them retreat into the jungle even faster, the Americans knowing that they would return, and soon.

Dead North Vietnamese bodies laid strewn outside of the camp, some entangled in barbwire or in pieces. American dead were put in body bags, and the line was still held. Evening came, Po looking at Mitch to see that his M60 was smoking from how much it had fired.

Po bandaged up Mitch's wound though the tiger did not want him to, and the group went into a bunker on the wall of the north perimeter. The bunker had horizontal slits for the Americans to fire through and gave them good cover, and right outside of them were claymore mines, barb wire, and the jungle itself. Bullet shells lay strewn on the ground and ammo crates were all around the firing room, and behind that was a room for the troops that held bunk beds, food and water, and many more supplies.

Most of them went to the bunks and laid down, getting what little rest they could, since they knew that a night attack was coming.

Mitch sat next to the slit, his M60 sitting mounted out the open window, ready for the soon to come North Vietnamese. Po went beside him, patting him on the shoulder and looking out the slit. The jungle in front of them was smoking and on fire, a hellish sight.

"How's Tigress?" Mitch asked, not looking at the panda.

"She's good; she has convinced her parents that she and her parents will leave the country and go to the US with me to escape the war." Po said smiling.

Mitch nodded. "That's good."

"I can't wait for this war to end." Po said, sighing. "I honestly think that peace talks should begin."

"You give up hope too quickly, panda." Mitch said confidently. "We can win this; we just need to push harder than what our generals are making us do; they are too worried about starting WWIII by invading Cambodia, Laos, and North Vietnam, and we can win that way. That's why Korea was a stalemate. Truman was a puss and wouldn't let MacArthur go into China and end the war."

"I agree, but even that war was different than this one." Po said sighing.

"What are you smoking, Po? I mean seriously." Mitch said, taking out a cigarette himself and lighting it, then putting it in his mouth.

Gravidal ran up to the two. "The commies took Hue."

"My God," Mitch said, shaking his head. "I'll bet we're going there next."

Gravidal nodded and went back to the other room, Mitch taking a puff of his cigarette. He pulled out his knife and began to carve in a phrase in the top of his he was finished, he had written _The Wall of Steel_. Night came, the rest of Po's men coming beside them and aiming down their sights. They couldn't see anything, and the artillery had stopped.

Po pulled out his personal radio. "Captain, we need illumination on the north perimeter."

"Yes sir, coming right up." The mortar captain said.

A flare shot into the air in front of them, revealing countless NVA trying to sneak up on them. Everyone in the bunker opened fire at once, dropping the NVA closest to them and working around the area before they could react. Bullets shot up sand in front of the bunker as the North Vietnamese tried to shoot them, the group not stopping as they fired into the close enemy lines.

GIs in the trenches began to fire as well, M60s tearing into the lines. US mortars slammed into the lines, as well as artillery even from the 105 millimeter cannons. Mitch pulled out his radio.

"We need napalm on the north perimeter now!" He roared.

"Roger that, danger close." A pilot said.

The NVA were nearly upon the bunker they were so close, and the Americans heard the roar of three jets. Flying in formation, the F-4 Phantom IIs dropped all of their cargo on the killing fields and the jungles. Screams were heard as the NVA were blasted with a direct hit, those in the bunker not stopping in their firing.

Mitch was gritting his teeth as he fired; his intimidating "war face". Po killed five enemies, the others achieving high kills. Po fired a grenade from his M203, killing five communists with it.

"Push them back!" Po yelled, everyone giving their complete effort.

Mitch ran out of ammo, quickly reloading his M60 and beginning to fire again. Napalm exploded outside of the perimeter again, the group seeing B-52 Stratofortress bombers in the distance, aiding the Americans by bombing the NVA in the distance and relieving the other outposts there.

A communist strayed too close to a claymore, the mine exploding and killing three enemies in its wake. Po fired an entire magazine, dropping twelve enemies in the process before he reloaded.

The night was lit by gunfire, artillery, and napalm, as if they were fireworks of death. GIs around the perimeters were resorting to hand to hand combat against the invaders, Po and the others perhaps having to resort to it soon.

However, the group and the other GIs there were holding the line well, as were the other lines, though they had to go to hand to hand. Po looked to the doorway, seeing a mortar firing. Suddenly, a gunner was shot in the head and fell down dead. He told the others what he was going to do and sprinted down the trench to the mortar.

The mortar team understood what he was trying to do, and showed him to the box full of mortars. The mortar was fired, then Po handed them another. They dropped it again, continuing the process. Another GI dove into the trench and relieved Po of his duties and the panda going back to the bunker quickly.

The group fought until dawn, when the NVA fell back again. Po and Mitch sat against the wall of the bunker, exhausted but as all good soldiers are, still ready to fight.

Suddenly, Po heard a loud rumble.

"Tanks!" A GI yelled, and Po and the others rushed to the window to see tanks driving towards them.

Po hurried and grabbed an M72 LAW, aiming down the sights at a monster. They were T54s, in a group of four. The panda fired, managing to destroy the tank. However, three still remained, one firing at the trench beside the bunker and killing eight GIs with the blast.

The panda loaded another rocket, his last one. He fired at another tank, making it explode and throwing its turret into the air before rolling to the ground. Po grinned, but then realized that he was out of rockets. He looked to the ammo boxes and saw a C4 detonator and the explosives themselves. He turned to Mitch, and the tiger nodded.

"We'll take care of those tanks." Po said to the others, Mitch picking up his M60 and a good share of the explosives.

Po took the detonator and the rest of the explosives, both knowing that this was practically suicide. They went to the trench and went over it, GIs behind them yelling at them to get back in the trench, knowing that they were likely to perish. NVA fired at them, Mitch spraying them with his M60 and thinning their lines.

The tanks were very close to the American lines, firing at the Americans. Mitch opened the locket and looked at Ryu's face one last time and closing it.

"May God help us." He said as the two charged, shooting as they ran at the NVA in front of them.

Mitch went to one tank, and Po the other. On Mitch's tank, a gunner came up the hatch and manned a machine gun on it. He quickly shot him, the communist's body falling limp onto the side of the tank. He planted the C4 on the side of the tank while firing his M60 with one hand to defend himself.

Po planted the C4 on his tank and motioned for Mitch to run. The two ran from the tanks, and Po detonated the C4. Both tanks exploded, and killed several NVA around them. The two hurried back to the trench, seeing their troops giving them cover fire as they ran back to it.

Bullets buzzed around their feet as they ran, occasionally turning and shooting at the NVA. A communist snuck up on Po and tried to shoot him but the panda quickly pulled out his knife and cut the tiger's throat, kicking the body off of him and continuing on. The two dove into the trench, and went back to the bunker, panting.

"That was suicide, and you survived." Xueren said.

"I'm impressed." Kajirn added, the group getting a small laugh in before going back to firing out the window.

The NVA were so discouraged by the loss of their tanks that they retreated into the jungles at midday, but continued mortar and artillery fire on the Americans. Po and Mitch sat on the dirt floor, panting. They dropped their guns, and took drinks from their canteens.

"That was crazy as hell, Po." Mitch said, grinning. "We should get the Medal of Honor for that."

Po laughed. "Yeah, that would be nice."

"So what now?" Mitch asked his friend.

"I guess we keep fighting until they quit." Po said, making the group laugh.

**A/N: Po and the others join the battle of Khe Sanh, contributing a great effort to the battle! Sorry for not that long of a battle for Khe Sanh, but two chapters from now will be Khe Sanh again. Next chapter: Liberating Hue. Po and his platoon are sent into Hue, to clear the communists out from the city for good. OCs are still being accepted, so even if you have an OC already in here, you can still get more into it! Please review, share, comment, and please, **_**no flames!**_

**Last day of January – April 8 was the battle for Khe Sanh, 274 Americans killed and 12,000 NVA killed **


	7. Liberating Hue

**Kung Fu Panda: Apocalypse Now **by

Mitchicus

Chapter 7: Liberating Hue

**A/N: Another chapter, Part I soon to close! This story has OCs from SilverTigerDirector (Koru and Yunwei, Jiu-Ne, Ko-Ri, and Tigress' real name, Hei-Wa), Racin Mason 24 (Xueren and Michael, with respect for his service), The Mysteriouswatcher (Kajirn), taskarrthetwisted (Kann), Gravidal The Dragon (Gravidal Bian), Psychic ninja (Jiraiya), Tigerizza (as herself), and Keelin The Tiger (Keelin Falco). If you haven't been already, please listen to the music mentioned in these chapters, as it is part of the experience. Now, for the chapter!**

March 2, 1968.

Po leaned against a gasoline barrel at Khe Sanh, looking up as the sky was filled with hueys and CH-47s. The enemy had stopped artillery and mortar strikes temporarily, giving the Americans a much needed break. Po looked up and saw Red's helicopter, its shark teeth more than noticeable from the others.

He got up and picked up his M-16, the helicopter landing right in front of him. He went to the side of the helicopter.

"New orders, Po; gather up your platoon, we're all supposed to get to Hue." Red said.

"Alright Red, I'll go round them up." Po said and ran back to the trench, then went to the bunker.

He found his troops and Mitch sitting around the floor, getting them up and leading them to the airstrip. He radioed in to the others, soon the entire platoon…well, what was left of it…stood before him.

"Alright boys, we're heading to Hue to liberate the city from the VC and NVA. Get moving!" Po commanded, the troops hurrying to the hueys.

Po, Mitch, and Koru went into Red's helicopter, the three sitting down on the seats. Mason was on the right side, still manning the M60 as always.

"Po, I got some good news for the both of you." Chase said as the helicopter climbed into the air.

"Let's hear it." Po said smiling.

"You've been promoted by Westmoreland to Major, and you and Mitch have been awarded the Medal of Honor." Chase said grinning.

Mitch tapped Po on the shoulder, grinning, and the panda turned to him. "Well, I guess we're neck and neck again of who will be the higher rank."

The two laughed, Po turning to Koru who leaned out the side of the helicopter with his gun pointed out at the jungle.

"How many kills did you get, corporal?" Po asked.

"Twenty five," Koru responded, not turning his head.

"All headshots I presume?" The panda asked, Koru nodding. "Nice work." The tiger nodded again, Po turning to Red.

"Will you be backing us up in Hue?" Po asked.

Red nodded. "Firepower is one radio call away."

Po chuckled, looking out the helicopter as it descended onto a field, the city of Hue in view. The helicopter touched down, dropping the three out and then flying off again. The other troops soon arrived, their hueys flying off after delivering them to the field.

In front of them was a line of American artillery cannons, firing into the city to clear out the VC and NVA, and also an M48 Patton. The tank captain sat up on the tank near the top hatch, leaning against the tank's top M60.

"We'll be going into Hue with you, Major." The captain said and saluted, Po saluting back.

"Glad to have you. When do we move out?"

"We're supposed to go now, Major." The captain said.

"Then let's get going." Po said, laughing.

One of Barracuda's troops, a jaguar by the name of Michael, stuck close to the tank. He used a FAMAS assault rifle with an M203 grenade launcher, and also used a Python Revolver and a fully automatic CZ75 pistol. He wore a tiger camouflaged jacket with the sleeves rolled up, and matching pants.

Po nodded to him, the jaguar continuing to stay by the tank. The M48 began to move, going towards the city where a large bridge lay, their only easy way to get into the city. Through the tank, the song _Surfin' Bird _by "The Trashmen" played, keeping the GIs in a somewhat happy mood as they ventured into hell. Po, Mitch, and the others went down the bridge, sticking to the side or the back of the tank for cover.

They saw the citadel in the distance, bearing the Vietcong flag.

"That's our target, guys." Po said, taking off the safety to his M16. "Check your corners; VC and NVA are everywhere."

Five Vietcong suddenly darted across the street, the GIs managing to shoot down three of them but the other two escaped. Suddenly, NVA popped out of windows on both sides and opened fire at the Americans. GIs that did not run for cover were shot dead, Po desperately trying to shoot the NVA. The panda managed to shoot a soldier, his body falling out of the window and onto the street.

The tank turned its turret and fired at a building, destroying the entire home and killing every communist in it. The home collapsed, and the tank turned its gun around, destroying another house and all inside of it. The gunner on the top hatch of the tank fired at concealed NVA with his M60, spraying the buildings with the machine gun.

The tank continued to rumble down the street, going over several cars in its path. Mitch saw three VC coming out of a sewer and shot them at point blank, killing them all with his M60. War had hardened him, making him a killing machine, as it did to everyone else. But it hardened him too much.

Po saw another sewer, and heard whispers in Vietnamese. He pulled out a grin and pulled off the pin, tossing it into the sewer, and backed up. He heard yells before it exploded, then silence. They continued on, Mitch staying to the side of the tank and putting his gun over his shoulder.

A sniper tried to go unnoticed in front of them, aiming at Po. Michael saw this however, and fired a grenade, destroying the house. He then loaded another grenade and continued on. Kann looked down an alley and covered his eyes, turning away.

"Po, Mitch, you should see this." The two rushed over to the wolf and looked down the alley.

Po covered his nose and squinted, and Mitch just growled.

"Communist bastards." He murmured and continued on, leaving the panda and the wolf standing there.

In the alley was a line of men, women, and children; all lined up and shot dead by the communists. Po shook his head and continued on, Kann soon going on afterwards.

"Troops, watch for civilians! Anyone that accidently shoots a civilian will be shot!" Mitch said, threatening them.

They took his word to heart, and a little tiger cub came up to the troops. The troops talked to the cub, asking if he wanted candy and then…boom. The Vietcong had strapped explosives under his clothes and had detonated it, killing the cub and five GIs.

Mitch turned around, his eyes widening as he saw pieces of flesh that were once his troops.

He was distraught. "Mother fuckers! They fucking use kids as suicide bombers!"

He stormed forward, panting in anger and hatred. A group of Vietcong appeared at the street, waving their hands in surrender. Mitch raised his gun at them.

"What are you doing?" Po demanded.

"It's a trap!" Mitch yelled, his finger on the trigger.

"They're trying to surrender!" Po said.

Mitch looked back at him, snarling. "Remember '67? Five NVA surrendered? No, they killed ten of our men with concealed bombs. I'm not taking any chances!"

Po said nothing, Mitch looking back at the Vietcong. He fired at the ground in front of them, making them back up.

"Back away! Get out of here!" He roared in Vietnamese.

Suddenly, someone else shot them dead. He turned around and saw Kann, his M-16 smoking.

"You can tell by the look in their eyes; you were right." Kann said, and went over to the bodies.

He kept a somewhat distance, but pulled up the shirt of one with his M-16 and backed up, seeing explosives there. Po's eye twitched in anxiety, as he realized that taking them as prisoners would have cost his men their lives.

"Let's go; rescue civilians if they're being attacked by VC or NVA, but do not get too close to them; we can never tell if they're bombers or VC themselves." Po said, going on.

The troops began to walk again, turning and looking at all the buildings as they went by. Suddenly, a RPG rocket fired from a window, destroying the tank and killing all inside of it. Some of the GIs, including Po, where knocked to the ground by the blast.

"Fuck," Po murmured and picked himself up, just as a large group of NVA came into the street.

Everyone opened fire, the NVA and some US forces beginning to fall. Koru tossed a grenade into a mass of enemy troops, killing all of them. Michael, Tigerizza, Kann, Jiraiya, and Keelin opened fire with their M-16s, while Mitch and Xueren hip-fired their M60s.

The NVA began to retreat, taking heavy losses, and the Americans chased down the retreating forces and killed them. Night had come, and the troops knew that they were no good fighting at night.

"Secure the perimeter around this area, and take turns keeping watch." Po commanded, his troops doing so.

Koru went up into a tower with Kajirn and Gravidal, setting up sniper positions. Mitch found a home overlooking a road that went deeper into the city, where the VC and NVA could come and attack from. He deployed his bipod and smoked a cigarette; waiting for the communists he knew would come.

Po sat on the floor of a home and leaned against the wall, pulling off his helmet. He had recently put a Joker card on his helmet, one that provided humor yet would help his allies see him in the jungle (Mitch put an Ace card in his helmet and spare bullets for his M60).

The night was quiet, until two o'clock in the morning. Mitch heard the rumble of a car coming down the road, and aimed down the sights of his M60. The car came into view, a Vietcong soldier driving it with several more in the back of the car. He opened fire, the car exploding and killing everyone in it.

He then saw a wave of Vietcong running up the road, the tiger continuing to fire. His bullet belt was fed into the gun quickly, living its nickname as "Wall of Steel". He downed countless communists, and still continued to fire with his teeth gritted. His American allies soon backed him up, pushing the Vietcong back. Po went to Mitch and saw his smoking M60. The tiger pulled off the barrel and put on a new one, for the one he had used had melted by how much it had fired.

"Nice shot." Po complimented and patted him on the back, Mitch nodding.

* * *

March 3, 1968.

Dawn came, and they moved up. They came to an intersection and saw two NVA running from them to their right. Mitch grinned and shot them dead. In the distance was the citadel, their objective.

"Alright, this way." Po said, and ordered his men forward.

Suddenly, a shot rang out and hit a GI in the chest, wounding him and making him fall to the ground. Everyone stopped and looked at their wounded comrade.

"Get down!" Po commanded, a bullet actually hitting his helmet and knocking it off of his head.

He quickly put it back on and all of his men turned and ran, ducking behind the buildings, and peaking out at the large open street. The area very wide due to destroyed buildings and parking lots, and a large building was at the end of the long street. A medic volunteered to try and go bring back the soldier, and he rushed into the street.

Just as he reached him, he was shot in the head and fell over dead.

"Shit," Mitch yelled. "There's only one sniper. I'm going in."

"Mitch, no!" Po yelled before Mitch ran forward, firing nonstop at the building and yelling.

"Fuck, give him some cover fire!" Po yelled, everyone beginning to fire at the building as well.

Mitch kept running, firing his M60 nonstop at the building, the ground around him and in front of him, being pelted by bullets. He found the sight amusing.

"You mother fuckers!" He yelled, laughing. "Woah, yeah! Get some!" He yelled and rolled to the ground as a bullet whizzed through the air where his head had once been.

He ducked behind a house and continued to fire his weapon over the side of the building. He pulled his gun back and looked at the soldier bleeding on the street.

"Soldier, where's the sniper?" Mitch asked.

The soldier began to point towards the window but was shot in the head, now dead.

"Damn it." Mitch yelled, and peaked past the wall of the house at the large building.

He saw the sniper fire and ducked quickly enough that the bullet hit the wall where his head had been, shooting up concrete and dust. Mitch was panting from the close call.

"Fucker," He said angrily at the sniper, though the enemy certainly did not hear him. "Po, I'm going in! Give me all the cover fire you can give!"

He charged again, opening fire with his M60 and heading towards the building. He dove into the lobby of what once was a hotel, hearing the sniper preoccupied with firing at his allies. Mitch went to the stairs and ran up them, going to the third floor where the sniper was, and ducked behind the wall, getting his first look at the sniper.

It was an Indochinese Tiger. A teenage girl. She held an SVD sniper rifle, firing at his allies. Mitch was enraged that she had killed two or maybe more of his men, and perhaps many other Americans. Still, it was a teenage girl. He was unsure if he should kill her or not.

His boots accidently stepped in a puddle, alerting her. She spun around and fired three shots at the wall, Mitch ducking just in time as the bullets went through the wall. He realized that if he didn't kill her, she would kill him. He went to the doorway and before she could fire, hit her with a blast of his M60. She staggered backwards and fell out the window, Mitch hearing a crunch as she hit the hard ground.

He looked out the window and solemnly signaled to the Americans that the coast was clear. They put the dead Americans in body bags and took out their dog tags, and hurried to the other end of the street. They came to another intersection, the citadel in view. Po pulled out his radio.

"Red, give the citadel hell." Po said grinning.

"Loud and clear, Po." Red said.

Moments later, they heard the rumble of helicopter rotors and a large group of hueys flew over their heads, blasting the citadel with rockets and miniguns fire.

"Hope that softened it up for you; Red out."

The panda put away his radio. "This is it, Mitch." Po said. "Capture that citadel and the city is ours."

Mitch nodded, and pulled out a folded American flag, grinning.

"Cut down that flag and hoist this up." Mitch said, and Po nodded and took the flag.

He put it in his shirt and loaded a fresh magazine into his M-16.

"Alright guys, one last fight for Hue." Po said, going in front of them.

Mitch went beside him, nodding. It was a long street, and then the citadel was in front of them.

"Charge!" Po yelled, the troops beginning to yell as they began to run down the street.

They saw the flashes of enemy weapons from the citadel and men began to fall. Po and Mitch fired their weapons as they ran, and so did the other US forces. An RPG slammed into a group of GIs, killing them all. Regardless, the group did not stop. Everyone continued to run, even if they were wounded. The group finally reached the citadel, backing against its wall as the VC inside of it could not shoot at them any longer. Grenades were thrown into the windows, killing the Vietcong standing near them.

The troops moved up, Po hitting three VC with three bullets and killing them all. They filled the citadel, shooting down the communists they saw. Mitch sprayed five VC with his M60, making them fall against a wall and die. Po threw a grenade into a room and killed five Vietcong in its wake. Men secured the citadel, but the tower was still not secure. Po and Mitch led them up, the group hurrying up the stairs.

The panda shot two VC that tried to stop them, and continued on. Seven more Vietcong awaited them, Po and Mitch both killing them all. The flagpole held the Vietcong flag, and Po knew just what to do. He pulled his knife out of its sheath and walked towards the pole, cutting down the flag. The cut flag fell to the ground, and the panda pulled out Old Glory.

He raised the flag, everyone on the tower saluting as it was raised, remembering their country, their families, and certainly the friends they had lost in the war. They heard cheering throughout the city, echoing around. Po stood at the edge, the entire city in view.

Mitch had his M60 over his shoulder, and patted Po on the back.

"Hue is won, my friend." The White Tiger said, both watching the sun set over the ruined city of Hue.

Hue was fought from January 30 – March 3, 1968. The communists suffered thousands of losses and pulled out of the city, the US losing two hundred men and the ARVN losing around four hundred. The goal of the communists in the Tet Offensive altogether was to start a large rebellion of the people of the south against the South Vietnamese government and the United States. However, there was no large uprising, and this infuriated the communists. Anyone who did not join them was either shot or tortured, and government officials were shot in their homes by Vietcong soldiers. The communists lost so many men in the offensive that they were not able to launch another offensive until 1972. The US believed in the attrition strategy, where body count meant success, and the balance between US and NVA/ VC dead was firmly in America's favor. However, the north having a population of sixteen million, the communist leaders were fine with losing countless more troops. The Tet Offensive also turned many Americans against the war, believing it was far from over when the troops came back and actually said that they felt closer than ever to it being over.

But Tet was not over for Po and the others.

**A/N: Hue is won! By the way, please check out my page on Deviantart (by the same name as my own here), where I post sneak peeks for stories (Apocalypse Now Part II Sneak Peak is on my page), and Deviantart only stories. I also post Apocalypse Now soundtrack, weapon spotlights, and more! And by the way, SilverFoxMash on Deviantart, my good friend, is doing my OC Mitch in two drawings! One from Po Pilgrim and the rest of the stories and one from Apocalypse Now and all of his 'Nam glory! Please check out his page to see awesome KFP artwork and videos, and be sure to see mine as well! Next chapter: Hunter Killers. Po and his platoon head back to Khe Sanh to finish the fight there, and eliminate retreating forces before they can slip back over the border. Please review, share, comment, and please, no flames! **


	8. Hunter Killers

**Kung Fu Panda: Apocalypse Now **by

Mitchicus

Chapter 8: Hunter Killers

**A/N: I'm back, with another chapter! I must say that I have made a cap for OCs, so **_**there will no longer be any more OCs submitted to the story, I apologize but you should have asked for me to put them in a while ago. **_**This story has OCs from SilverTigerDirector (Koru and Yunwei, Jiu-Ne, Ko-Ri, and Tigress' real name, Hei-Wa), Racin Mason 24 (Xueren and Michael, with respect for his service), The Mysteriouswatcher (Kajirn), taskarrthetwisted (Kann), Gravidal The Dragon (Gravidal Bian), Psychic ninja (Jiraiya), Tigerizza (as herself), and Keelin The Tiger (Keelin Falco). This is a realistic story, not a video game. Please keep it as such, and don't start mentioning Call of Duty guns with multiple attachments and crap unless they're real and from the time period, and also not too far out there. Also, don't complain on how much time your OC gets in my story. You submitted it, and it plays by my rules, just saying. I'm not trying to be a dick, but seriously; this will not turn into "your" or a Call of Duty story. If you haven't been already, please listen to the music mentioned in these chapters, as it is part of the experience. Now, for the chapter!**

April 8, 1968.

The panda pulled the body bag over one of his men solemnly, standing up and looking at the constant flow of helicopters in the air. The panda sighed and picked up his M-16, walking to a bomb crater where Mitch sat.

"NVA have lost twelve thousand men; we've lost about two fifty so far." Po said solemnly.

Mitch nodded. "We're going to win this battle, Po. And we have new orders for when they start to retreat."

"What are those?" Po asked.

"We're going to be Hunter Killers; get in choppers and hunt down the retreating forces before they can slip across the border." Mitch said, pulling out a half empty belt of bullets and replacing it with a full one.

"Sounds good. And we go home April 31st."

Mitch nodded. "I'll finally go home to see Ryu. And Tigress' parents agreed that they all would come back with you, right?"

Po nodded. "I'm pretty psyched; I would serve another tour if it meant seeing her more, but now that she's coming with us, I'm really happy." He said smiling.

"That's great, Po. The only problem is that once we leave, we'll have no one left to shoot." Mitch said laughing.

"Have you gone mad?" Po asked.

"I honestly don't know." Mitch said, laughing hysterically.

This worried Po. "Cut that crap out."

He helped up Mitch and the two went back to the trench, their most trusted troops one the trench already.

"They'll hit the north the hardest; they have one last attempt to overrun the base." Po said, loading his M-16.

"Fire at will and try to make their head explode." Mitch said, making Kann, Gravidal, and Kajirn laugh.

"Koru, shoot the napalm barrels out there; you know where they are." Po said, the tiger nodding.

They heard shouts in Vietnamese from the jungles, and then cheers. Artillery and mortars began to pound the base once again, the outnumbered marines still holding on. The NVA charged, firing their weapons at the entrenched Americans. Xueren and Mitch opened fire with their M60s, Kajirn shooting two in the chests and Gravidal hitting one in the head.

Koru waited for the NVA to build up around the barrels, and then detonate them. A large wave of enemy troops went over it and Koru fired at one, making it explode and those around it as well. The land shot up in flames, burning or incinerating many communists.

Tigerizza tossed a grenade into a mass of troops and killed them all, then began to down more troops with her rifle. Jiraiya blasted the enemy with his AK-47, and grabbed an M72 LAW, firing the rocket into a mass of troops and killing them as well.

"Once they start to retreat, it will be the last time." Po said as he fired to his troops. "Everyone in the platoon is going to hurry to the helicopters right away and we're going to hunt down the retreating forces."

"Sounds fun." Keelin said as he shot a soldier in the head.

Gravidal shot an NVA soldier with an RPG at long range, making him misfire and kill those around him.

"Five for one bullet!" He cheered.

Mitch sprayed all the NVA he saw, laughing as he did so. Po saw a large change in Mitch since Hue, and it was not good.

"Die fuckers!" He roared.

"Easy, Mitch." Po said, trying to make him stop firing but Mitch shoved him away.

"I'm going to kill every single one of these communist bastards!" He yelled, continuing to yell as he fired.

Po shook his head and began firing again himself, the NVA still coming in full force. Suddenly, a group of NVA came out of nowhere and jumped on top of the group, trying to strangle them. Po pulled out his pistol and shot the one holding him down and several others, while Mitch stabbed his with his knife and threw the blade, driving into the chest of the one on top of Kann.

Kann rolled the dead NVA soldier off of him and handed Mitch his knife, while Jiraiya punched the NVA on him off and shot him with his AK-47. They freed their comrades and went back to firing at the advancing troops.

Po shot a grenade from his M203, and the grenade exploded, killing seven communists. Mitch fired continuously with his M60, Koru popping the head of an advancing soldier clean off. Michael downed as many enemies as he could until his magazine ran out, and reloaded. Tigerizza shot two enemies in the head, just as Koru managed to kill two enemies with one bullet through both of their heads.

Kajirn shot an approaching enemy in the head just as he was about to throw a grenade, the grenade exploding at the NVA soldier's feet and killing two other enemies.

A Skyraider sprayed the NVA as it dove low, shooting them into halves and tearing off their limbs. As it began to climb, it dropped two bombs of napalm, incinerating a large mass of troops. Another aircraft soared low, dropping its deadly cargo on the masses of enemy troops.

The NVA began to retreat, Po grinning at the sight.

"Alright guys, let's get to the choppers!" He yelled, everyone turning and running to the waiting helicopters.

A pilot stopped Po, the rest of the soldiers running to the hueys.

"My gunner got killed by a mortar; would you mind filling in his place?" He asked.

"Will do." Po said, following the pilot to his helicopter.

US artillery inside of the base opened fire at the enemy forces retreating into the jungle, gunships and fighter-bombers continuing to attack them as well. Po rushed to a Cobra Gunship with the pilot, the wolf opening the canopy and the two climbing inside. Po sat in the front seat of the helicopter, grabbing the controls to his weapons.

He controlled a minigun and a grenade launcher, while the pilot controlled the helicopter itself, rockets, and miniguns.

"Alright, let's go hunting!" The pilot said, the helicopter climbing into the air.

Mitch meanwhile got into Red's huey, leaning out with his M60 for the assault. Koru and Kann went in as well, sticking to the sides of the helicopter and reloading their weapons.

"I assume that Khe Sanh is won." Mason said, cranking up the radio's speakers to hear "Paint it Black" by _The Rolling Stones_.

"My favorite." Mitch said laughing, looking out the side of the helicopter as it climbed.

The rest of the platoon's helicopters did so as well, flying over the base and heading for the retreating NVA forces.

"Fire at will boys!" Mitch said over the radio, the attack beginning.

Po fired a long burst of his minigun at a group of retreating soldiers, killing them all before the pilot emptied rockets into the large masses. The Cobra dove low, Po firing several grenades into the troops, killing fifteen in the process.

Red emptied his rockets into the large groups of NVA, killing over thirty at the cost of all of his rockets. He sprayed a group turning around to fire at them, killing them all. The helicopter flew over the jungle, Mitch firing out the side of the helicopter with his machine gun and dropping ten regulars to the ground.

Koru's accuracy still remained, as he sniped enemy troops while the helicopter flew. Kann fired his M-16 in a horizontal motion, killing nine enemies with his entire magazine before reloading.

As Po's helicopter banked and turned around towards the communists, Po fired his minigun, dropping countless communists and finishing the rest with his grenades. The pilot shot two rockets into two jeeps, killing all those inside.

Mitch tossed a grenade out of the helicopter, managing to kill five communists that it landed near. The White Tiger grinned as he looked around the sky, seeing the swarms of helicopters unleashing hell upon the NVA. Jets screeched over the jungles, dropping napalm on them and killing those unfortunate enough to be caught inside of them.

"Nothing beats riding into battle inside one of these metal beasts, does it, Mitch?" Chase asked grinning, causing Mitch to laugh.

Po meanwhile popped the heads of several NVA regulars clean off as his helicopter passed over them, turning again as the pilot went into an attack run. Emptying all of his rockets and pelting the enemy with minigun fire, the pilot killed countless communists.

The communists continued to retreat, the more close they were to other comrades resulted in higher casualties. Red's huey banked low, Mitch opening fire with his M60 and killing twelve NVA.

Po sprayed more of the enemy troops with his minigun, then blew several to pieces with a grenade, and destroying several trees. The NVA ran as fast as they could, trying to get across the border.

Po continued to shoot down the retreating forces, the others doing the same. Red sprayed the enemy with his miniguns, and killed ten with several grenades. Mitch continued to fire, killing any unfortunate soldier that came in his path.

Soon, the NVA were out of sight. The sound of gunfire and rockets was vanishing, but the roar of the helicopters remained.

"We got all we could; let's get back to Khe Sanh." The pilot said and took Po back to the base, the rest of the platoon following them.

Po got out of the helicopter and said farewell to the pilot, heading to Red's helicopter. The huey's blades continued to spin, ready to take off.

"Time to get back to GI Beach, Po; we're done here." Mitch said, sitting on the edge of the helicopter.

Po nodded, and got onto the helicopter sighing and looking around at the base.

They had battled there for months, defeating an outnumbering communist force. Now they were leaving, and it was hard for Po since so many good men died there.

The helicopter took off, the rest following them into the air as they sailed back to their headquarters. Po leaned back against the helicopter, closing his eyes and thinking of Tigress. He just wanted to return to her now, since he felt that he had made a good enough fight for freedom in Vietnam.

Khe Sanh lasted from January 31 – April 8 with 274 Americans killed (of the six thousand there) and 12,000 NVA killed (of the twenty thousand there). The base was later destroyed by the US and occupied by the communists, making the public question why the base was so important in 1968.

However, the platoon still had to finish their tour; with only one mission left.

**A/N: Po and the others win the battle for Khe Sanh! Sorry for the shorter chapter, but I promise it will get longer in the next or at least two chapters from now. Next chapter: Burn 'Em Out. Barracuda goes on its final mission, to destroy dug in enemy troops. Though it is the last mission, that does not mean the war is over for them; remember that, and figure out how that is possible. Please review, share, comment, and please, no flames!**


	9. Burn 'Em Out

**Kung Fu Panda: Apocalypse Now **by

Mitchicus

Chapter 9: Burn 'Em Out

**A/N: Another chapter of the story is out! This story has OCs from SilverTigerDirector (Koru and Yunwei, Jiu-Ne, Ko-Ri, and Tigress' real name, Hei-Wa), Racin Mason 24 (Xueren and Michael, with respect for his service), The Mysteriouswatcher (Kajirn), taskarrthetwisted (Kann), Gravidal The Dragon (Gravidal Bian), Psychic ninja (Jiraiya), Tigerizza (as herself), KungFuPandaFanatic (Devastator), and Keelin The Tiger (Keelin Falco). Only one more chapter left of Part I after this, and now to the chapter!**

April 16, 1968.

Po cleaned his M-16 in his barracks while Mitch did the same to his M60. Helicopters filled the sky normally, taking off and landing unceasingly. Body bags were filled, enemy prisoners taken away. The base had been attacked twice since the start of Tet. Craters were on the beaches, helicopter and plane wreckage pushed to the sides of the airstrip. Countless bullet shells littered the beach, a testament to the battles that raged there earlier.

PBR gunboats went to and fro the docks, bringing their own supply of hardened, wounded, or dead soldiers. M48 Patton tanks guarded the perimeters, and the M*A*S*H was open on schedule.

"One last mission, Mitch." Po said, the tiger turning to him. "Go into the Ia Drang Valley again and eliminate the VC forces there; we'll be backed with everything from the air, and we'll have two Sheridan tanks by our side."

Mitch nodded. "Po…have I been acting strange to you?"

"What do you mean?" Po asked, trying to avoid what he knew.

"Like am I not being an honorable warrior anymore?" Mitch asked.

Po sighed. "You just don't know when to let up, and won't stop killing."

"I was afraid of that." Mitch said. "Po, I need to get the hell out of here; I don't want to be changed by the war like this; I could even lose my faith by the end of this mission. If I spent another year here…I don't know what I would become."

"We're getting out only a week after this mission, Mitch! You'll be back home with your wife, living a peaceful life." Po said.

"Something tells me that's not meant to be." Mitch murmured.

"Cut the crap, Mitch; and get your gear on." Po said and slapped him on the back, making Mitch chuckle.

They picked up their weapons and headed out, getting what men they had left; a much smaller number than what they had started with; together.

"Two Sheridans and air support is backing us up; we're going into the Ia Drang Valley to eliminate the VC forces there around Don Village." Po said, hearing murmurs among the troops at the mention of the "Valley of Death" as many had called it. "We'll get in there; blow them all to hell, and get the fuck out. Then we just hang out for two weeks, nothing major, and then go home."

At hearing the mention of home, their spirits were brightened. Still, they would give all they had in the fight, if it meant their lives for their country and family. South Vietnamese soldiers among them were overjoyed, since they would be leaving the warzone that was their country and finding opportunity in America, as so many other people had before.

"Let's get going then! Move, move, move!" Po commanded, the troops hurrying to their assigned helicopters.

Po and Mitch got into theirs, Kann getting in as well. Red's huey gained altitude, the other helicopters following his (two carrying the tanks with the cables under them). They soared over the landscape, Mitch squeezing his cross while Po closed his eyes and took deep breaths; neither wanted to die on their last assigned mission. Kann however wasn't worried at all, and planned to head to the States once this was over.

The valley came into view, and the helicopters landed on LZ X-Ray, which was the site where Po and Mitch got their first taste of battle with Hal Moore and the Seventh Calvary, winning a victory for the Americans. However, the US withdrew from the area after driving the communists from it, the VC retaking the area later.

The troops got out, and the tanks were dropped to the ground (the crews of them already inside). Barracuda secured the area, guns pointed at the tree lines. Po and Mitch assessed the area, hearing nothing but the sound of fading rotor blades…then dead silence.

"Move down the valley to the hills, in formation." Po commanded, the troops beginning to move.

They came to the edge of the field, seeing the first part of the tree line, the soldiers and tanks stopping.

"Bruno, light up the jungle." Mitch said, a GI stepping forward with an M2 Flamethrower.

He fired the flamethrower, the flames burning down the first part of the jungle. When the fires died down, they crossed over the charred landscape, the tanks knocking down trees as they went deeper into the jungle.

They began to move up a hill when a shot was fired, driving through a GI's chest and sending him to the ground yelling. Soon the hill was lit with gunfire, and the GIs began to take heavy casualties from the surprise attack. Mitch dove onto the ground and crawled to the wounded GI, pulling him over his shoulder and taking him back down the hill and setting him down behind a rock for cover. He then charged back up the hill, diving onto the ground again and mounting his bipod.

"Shit, now what?" Po asked.

Mitch calmly pulled out his radio. "Thunder 2-1, make 'em toasty."

"Roger, 'Nape's on the way." The pilot responded, Mitch putting up his radio.

Po began firing into bushes up the hill, hoping to find enemy troops hiding behind them. They couldn't see anything hardly. Po then saw three flashes from the enemy's guns, and tossed a grenade, hearing a scream. The grenade exploded, a chunk of flesh hitting Po in the face and making him shiver.

They soon heard the roar of jets.

"Here it comes!" One GI yelled out.

One jet screeched over, dropping its cargo on the hill. They heard screams, and Vietcong got out of their positions and stood up, trying to put out the flames. The GIs shot down the VC when they did this, putting them out of their misery. The tanks fired into a cave, the two shells killing all who were inside.

"Po, move up the hill, I got your back!" Mitch said, readying his M60.

"Give me suppressive fire in 3…2…1…now!"

Po charged up the hill, Mitch firing in a large spray to draw the fire. Po sprinted up, his adrenaline pumping as he went up. A Vietcong soldier popped up behind a rock, but Po shot him with his rifle before he could fire. The panda continued to run, and dove behind a large rock, shielding himself from enemy fire.

"Bruno, there's a cave up there infested with Charlie! Fry them!"

"Yes sir!" Bruno said and charged up, Mitch getting up and continuing to give suppressive fire, but this time running up the hill himself as he did so.

The two dove to the ground, Mitch on Po's right and Bruno on his left.

"Nice suppression, Mitchi." Po said grinning.

"Don't call me that." Mitch said laughing.

"Alright Bruno, clear out that cave so our troops can move up more." Po said, and the wolf nodded.

"Got it sir." The brave soldier said before charging up to the cave and standing to the side of the entrance, hearing the VC fire inside.

He took a deep breath and jumped to the side, facing the shocked VC. He burned them, the tigers screaming before they were finally dead. He took a deep breath and went back out, seeing the accomplishment he made as more troops moved up.

Huey gunships, called in by Po, made a quick attack run and devastated the area higher up the hill, managing to kill a large number of the communists. Red's huey went above the enemy lines, Mason opening fire down on them with his M60.

Suddenly, an RPG was fired, destroying one of the tanks.

"Shit, we can't lose another." Po said.

"I can handle this." Mitch said and charged forward.

"Mitch! What the hell are you doing!"

"What I'm born to do!" Mitch said laughing.

He began yelling, as if it was a war cry or an attempt to intimidate the enemy, which it did. He fired his M60 as he charged, two VC coming out of hiding only to have Mitch spin around and shoo them. He continued up, seeing the VC with the RPG loading another grenade onto the launcher. While holding his M60 with his right hand, he drew his machete and made a horizontal slice; beheading the soldier.

The Vietcong soldier's head rolled to the ground, his body following. A soldier with a bayonet on his AK-47 charged at him, but Mitch dodged his attack and thrust his bayonet into his chest. The White Tiger kicked him off of his blade.

"Move up! Move up!" Mitch yelled, waving his bloody machete.

Po tossed two grenades farther up the hill and sprinted up, diving behind a rock to only come eye to eye with an enemy soldier. The VC aimed his AK but was too late. Po shot him through the head, his body falling to the ground.

The panda fired a grenade from his M203 and blew two concealed Vietcong to pieces, and moved up with the rest. The last tank moved up slowly, but managed. Kajirn, Koru, and Gravidal used their accuracy to their advantage and shot far targets with excellent skill.

Xueren and Michael opened fire up the hill, downing a large number of communists each. Jiraiya tossed a grenade into a cave, wounding those inside and finishing them off. Kann jumped behind a Vietcong that did not see him and pulled out his knife, slitting his throat and dropping his body to the ground. Tigerizza threw a grenade behind a rock, making the Vietcong behind it yell and try to escape, only to be shot down by her. Keelin went on a rock and shot a group of concealed Vietcong, and the Allied forces moved up even farther.

The tank rumbled upwards, some soldiers sticking behind it for cover. Bruno stood up on a rock and fired his flamethrower into a group of trees, yelling. Screams were heard later, and the burning communists were shot down.

"Keep moving!" Po commanded, the troops battling bravely as their fathers in World War II did.

They charged up, firing their weapons at the still fighting Vietcong. Mitch broke the jaw of a large tiger with the butt of his machine gun and shot a long burst point blank, creating a large hole in the guerilla fighter's chest.

Po kept moving, dodging bullets. He turned and shot two Vietcong who popped out of a hidden hatch, and reached the top of the hill. He stopped, the adrenaline ceasing and leaving him tired. He looked down at the valley, seeing the village. He didn't see any more Vietcong, but he was damn sure they were hiding around the village.

The hill was cleared, the US forces standing on top of the hill. The tank sat on it as well, and Po scanned the area.

"I'll bet a cigarette that there's still VC in the jungle around the village, thinking that we'll go to the field where the village is first and ambush us; we're not taking the bait." Mitch said.

"I don't smoke." Po said grinning.

"Then perhaps a beer." Mitch said.

"You know what? If there's VC down there, I'll get you a cigarette, and that will be the last cigarette of your life. You know, since you're ready to quit." Po said.

"Sounds like a deal." Mitch said, and moved the men forward.

There was no activity in the village, which was strange to them. They kept moving, and sure enough, they heard shouts in Vietnamese. The tank opened fire, killing a large number of the communists. The VC were not expecting the Americans and South Vietnamese to find them, and now they were at the disadvantage. The troops moved forward, Po going prone and beginning to pick of the VC with Mitch beside him.

"Looks like I owe you that cigarette." Po said grinning, making them both laugh as they fired…and killed the Vietcong.

The Vietcong moved across the field, trying to get into the village for cover. The Allied forces moved more quickly, however, and shot them all before they reached the area. The triumphant troops rounded up prisoners and wounded, and continued on, cleansing all around the village of the Vietcong. The United States truly did own the day, but unfortunately, Charlie owned the night.

Finally, they walked through the tall grass towards the village, guns at the ready in case more were hiding inside. Po stuck close to Mitch, his friend holding the M60 at the hip, and turning it from side to side to prepare for anything. Bruno led the long line of troops, holding his flamethrower at the ready.

They looked around, and just at Hue…what they saw was horrific. Villagers…mutilated…all strewn around the village. Mitch's rage filled him, the hatred for the enemy that killed innocent civilians. Though he had become a merciless killer of the enemy, he would never shoot a civilian.

The troops were careful not to step on bodies, detached limbs and heads, and pools of blood. Po went around, slowly checking the pulses of the villagers to see if they were alive. A Vietcong flag hung on a flag pole, Mitch shooting down the pole and sending the flag to the ground with it. Then Mitch went into one of the homes, seeing a husband and wife embracing each other…dead on the floor. He then heard a whimper.

He stopped, his eyes widening. The parents had died protecting their child.

"It's ok; I'm not here to hurt you." Mitch said in Vietnamese, looking around the room for the child.

He walked all along the wooden planks and heard a hollow one, lifting the plank and finding a terrified young boy hidden there. At seeing the American, he cringed, thinking that he would be shot like his parents were by the Vietcong.

"It's ok; I'm not here to hurt you." Mitch said, giving a light smile.

The boy slowly opened his eyes and looked at Mitch.

"You're safe now." Mitch said and picked up the tiger, cradling him in his arms.

"Mitch, what did you find-" Po was stopped at the doorway of the hut by the sight, and nodded.

Mitch took the child outside and set him down on a box, giving him a chocolate bar, something that had been given to kids since WWII. The child had never had chocolate before, and at the taste of it, his eyes widened in happiness, a small smile going across his face.

Mitch chuckled and rubbed him on the back, giving him another bar. Soon the air was filled with helicopters once again, landing to pick up the wounded and dead. The prisoners were loaded, as were the little survivors from the massacre. Mitch carried the young boy to one of the helicopters, saying goodbye and watching it take off.

Po swore he was crying, though he never shed a single tear. Mitch turned to him.

"His parents died for him; now he's an orphan. That's what this war is about, Po; Freedom for the Vietnamese People. So they can enjoy the same privileges as we do in the States." Mitch said, Po nodding.

"We've got a live one over here!" Koru called, Po and Mitch turning to see Kann and Koru dragging a terrified Vietcong soldier to the two commanding officers.

Mitch's rage returned. He killed these civilians. He made that child an orphan.

"You mother fucker!" He roared and kicked the soldier in the face, the soldiers around him trying to hold him back but were shoved away.

"You slaughter the innocent, and fight to liberate the people of South Vietnam? No, you fight to conquer and corrupt!" Mitch said, and punched him in the face.

He hit him in the face with the butt of his gun and aimed at him, a hand being put on his shoulder and making him freeze.

"To everything there is a season. A time for every purpose under heaven. A time for love, and a time for hate; a time for war, and a time for peace." Koru said.

Mitch took a deep breath, and exhaled. He lowered the gun, and Po ordered Kann to take the prisoner away, the wolf doing so.

"I must remember the Scriptures, Koru." Mitch said, his back to the tiger. "Without them, I will become a monster."

"You can kill all you have to in order to survive, but do not do such things as killing the unarmed." Koru said, and Mitch nodded.

"Yes. Now let's forget about that, now that we don't have any more missions. We're all pretty much done." Mitch said.

Suddenly, the group heard a scream and rushed deeper into the village, seeing the soldiers crowding around an area. Po and Mitch pushed their way through and saw Bruno…impaled. He had fallen into a large Punji Trap and was impaled multiple places in the stomach, chest, and neck.

"Major Po…" He said, Po leaning down. "Tell my wife and kids…I love them."

After saying this, he went limp. The hero of the day was dead. He saved many lives in the battle with his bravery, only to die by a Punji Trap. Po and Mitch pulled out the body, and gave it to one of the helicopters. Po determined that he would write to his wife and kids, telling them of their father and husband's bravery and valor.

Mitch sat against the wall of a hut, Po next to him.

"It's done, Mitch; there's no more fighting." Po said.

Mitch crossed his arms and shook his head. "I'm not too sure about that; from fighting these bastards in the bush, I know they're smart as hell, and they don't give up. I wouldn't be surprised if they want us in one last fight…one last, costly, fight."

"Major Ping, this General bò chết, come in over?" Po's radio sounded off.

The panda pulled out his radio and put it to his ear.

"This is Major Ping, sir." Po said.

"Has the mission been accomplished at Ia Drang?" The general asked.

"Yes sir; all of the Vietcong in the area are either dead or are now prisoners." Po said.

"Excellent work. You have served the people of South Vietnam and your own country well." The general said. "Return to your base, and stay there until further notice."

"Affirmative, sir." Po said, the radio going static.

He strapped the radio back to his chest and looked at Mitch.

"I just want to see her again." Mitch said. "I want to be able to touch her; to live with her. However, I'm battling myself on whether I should value duty as highly as her or not. If the US needs me, I answer its call."

"It doesn't need you anymore, Mitch." Po said smiling. "You've served it well enough; now we're going home."

* * *

Devastator ducked his head as he went down the tunnel, coming to the radio room. Tai Lung sat on a box, leaning against the tunnel's wall and propping his feet up on another box.

"The two will never realize what we have planned, General Lung." Devastator said, saluting.

Tai Lung grinned. "The prisoners have given us all the information we need about Barracuda, for they flew support missions alongside them; are the soldiers nearly all in position?"

"All two thousand have already nearly surrounded Kunee Village, sir." Devastator said. "They lie hidden; waiting for your order to strike once the rest of them get into position."

"Excellent," Tai Lung said. "Execute the four prisoners from the downed helicopter; they are of no use to use now. Is the helicopter repaired?"

"Yes sir." Devastator said. "If you had to go in there yourself to kill them, they'd think you were South Vietnamese flying that."

"That is the point, Devastator." Tai Lung said. "They believe me to be a South Vietnamese general. I will come to their 'rescue', and finally kill them. The two of them are the only things that stand in my way of causing another world war. Without them, the United States _will _fall." He looked at the map, seeing Tigress' village circled with a red marker. "Kunee will fall…and them with it."

**A/N: Po drives out the Vietcong in Ia Drang and Tai Lung prepares to kill Po, Mitch, and the entire platoon! Next chapter: The Fall of Kunee. The Vietcong mass upon the village of Kunee, Po and the others trying to defend it in vain and evacuate the civilians. Please review, share, comment, and please, no flames!**


	10. The Fall of Kunee

**Kung Fu Panda: Apocalypse Now **by

Mitchicus

Chapter 10: The Fall of Kunee

**A/N: This story has OCs from SilverTigerDirector (Koru and Yunwei, Jiu-Ne, Ko-Ri, and Tigress' real name, Hei-Wa), Racin Mason 24 (Xueren and Michael, with respect for his service), The Mysteriouswatcher (Kajirn), taskarrthetwisted (Kann), Gravidal The Dragon (Gravidal Bian), Psychic ninja (Jiraiya), Tigerizza (as herself), KungFuPandaFanatic (Devastator), and Keelin The Tiger (Keelin Falco). ATTENTION! Tai Lung's false name has been changed to Hoả Phong. This is the last chapter of Part I, and now to the final chapter!**

April 21, 1968.

The day that tore the soldiers apart. The plan to wipe out the elite troops of Barracuda was now in motion. Tai Lung was eagerly waiting to be able to walk among the dead bodies of all of the Americans.

Po walked through the sand of the beach, the usual hueys filling the sky; nothing new. However, he knew that he would never see them, the beach, and most of the troops he commanded after their tours were over. Mitch stood knee deep in the water, watching as the sun rose with his M60 over his shoulder. Po looked at the sight of his friend in his pose as if he was an unstoppable hero; people knew not to fuck with him. However, no one is unstoppable…

"Mitch, you're last cigarette." Po said, making Mitch turn around.

The panda walked up to him and handed him the cigarette.

"In three days, we're out of this hell-hole." Po said.

Mitch smiled, and then frowned, and looked around the base, the sea, the beach…everything. "I'm going to miss this place…our troops…even Charlie."

"Shut the fuck up and take the cigarette, Mitch." Po said, making Mitch laugh. "I'm curious though; do you actually think that God sent you here for a reason?"

Mitch stopped laughing. "Yes, I do; with all my heart."

"After what you've seen, how many you've killed?" Po asked.

"I did what I had to for my country, and I saw things that my country would never do." The White Tiger said.

"That your country wouldn't do? What about My Lai?"

Mitch growled. "That is what happens when fear gets the best of you; when you talk with your friend one moment and the next he is chunks of meat from a mine he stepped on. When the villagers know of the mine and Punji Trap locations but do not tell us, and friends die because of it. Though what those men did was evil, I believe that their fear, frustration, and anger got the best of them for what had happened for their comrades."

"So certain, are you?" Po asked.

"You know who you're starting to sound like right now? One of those drugged up students who yells 'make love, not war' and other shit, not knowing what we're actually doing here, and fighting to save!"

Po glared at him, and then sighed. "You're right; we both know that we _should _be here. The only problem is that…I fear that it is too late."

"What do you mean?" Mitch asked.

"The enemy's headquarters for ALL operations in Vietnam is in Cambodia. The Ho Chi Minh Trail continues to bring supplies from the north into Vietnam. Even then, the communists can strike inside South Vietnam and retreat across the borders of Cambodia and Laos, where we are not allowed because they are 'neutral'. Neutral my ass. You heard what they have, you know, and they continue to bring the weapons, equipment, and everything they need into the country. Adding to that, we haven't even invaded North Vietnam! We could've invaded all these countries at the start of the war, with the American public still supporting it highly, and win the war quickly! Instead, Johnson has no balls and has lost the support. I wonder if Nixon has the balls, but I doubt the public will be able to withstand widening the war."

Mitch nodded. "I know Po, I know. I'm the one that knows that crap best; thanks for jogging it through my head the hundredth time."

Po laughed. "Glad to help."

Suddenly, the radio went crazy.

"They're everywhere!" They heard a GI yell.

Po put the radio to his ear. "Soldier, what's going on, over?"

"We're at Kunee Village! My platoon's getting hit by at least two thousand VC!"

"Hold your position and protect the civilians, we're on our way!" Po yelled, and put away the radio.

Mitch and Po ran to their troops barracks.

"Get your gear on! Get up!" Po yelled into each of the barracks, the troops hurriedly getting into their equipment and getting out of the barracks.

"Kunee Village is under siege by two thousand VC!" Po exclaimed. "We're going to go in there and hold the line while we evacuate the troops there and the civilians, and then get the hell out of there! Now get to your choppers! This is our last fight, gentlemen! Fight as those at Iwo Jima did! Go, go, go!"

The soldiers rushed to their helicopters, quickly getting into them. Po and Mitch got into Red's huey.

"I hope we'll get there in time." Red said nervously, the huey beginning to climb.

Po pulled out his radio. "Attention all forces! Fifty US troops are surrounded at Kunee Village by two thousand VC! My platoon and I are on our way now, but I request all forces available to evac the men there and the civilians, over!"

"This is Central Command at Saigon, roger; we'll do everything we can."

**A/N: Please listen to "Adagio for Strings" by Samuel Barber for this final battle. **

The panda put up his radio, Mitch pulling out a cigarette and lighting it; the last cigarette of his life. Through the journey, the formation of helicopters finally saw the burning village come into view…and what seemed like the ground moving. They were actually the swarms of VC, camouflaged with leaves and vegetation and moving up towards the small number of defenders there.

Red fired four rockets into a mass of Vietcong, managing to kill them all and the other hueys raining down on the masses as well, being sure not to hit their allies and the village itself. Miniguns rained down on the Vietcong, as well as M60 door gunners. The hueys went lower, trying to land in the village as one huey was hit by an RPG.

The huey began to spiral in flames and exploded when it hit the ground, killing all inside of it. The helicopters only hovered over the ground, and the soldiers piled out. Terrified civilians were pulled on; until the helicopters were full, and then they took off to drop them off, then return for more.

"Set up the perimeter! Shoot everything you see!" Po commanded, everyone rushing to their posts.

The panda crouched behind a set of crates on the hill of the village, overlooking the jungle and the advancing Vietcong. He fired his M-16 into a mass of troops, dropping them all to the ground. Mitch went next to him, mounting the bipod and putting his left hand on the top of the gun to support it even more as he began to fire.

Kann emptied out his magazine, and then quickly reloaded a new one. He tossed a grenade into the Vietcong that killed five of them, and then began shooting with his M-16 once again. Tigerizza fired her rifle quickly, and then heard a "thunk" as a grenade landed next to her. Bravely, she grabbed the grenade and through it back at the Vietcong, killing four in the process, and then began to fight again.

Xueren hip-fired his M60 into the VC massing upon the village, while Jiraiya, Michael and Keelin opened fire with their rifles, all three killing an estimated twenty so far.

Koru, Kajirn, and Gravidal hit distant and important targets; taking out snipers, suicide bombers, and soldiers wielding RPGs.

A large formation of hueys sent to rescue the civilians arrived, piling in the civilians. Po left Mitch to fight the Vietcong alone while he ran into Tigress' house, finding her sitting at the table calmly with her parents.

"Po?" Tigress asked, shocked.

"Tigress, you and your parents have to get out of here now!" Po yelled.

"Thank you, Major." Ko-Ri said and helped his family out, Po covering them with his M-16.

They ran to Red's huey, and ordered him to take them back to the beach.

"Po, I won't let you die here!" Tigress yelled.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. And I'll see you again soon, Tigress; I promise." Po said and gave her a quick kiss, running back to his position next to Mitch while the helicopter took off.

The Americans were taking heavy casualties, although the Vietcong were suffering far greater losses. The Americans managed to hold on, holding the Vietcong at bay. Once all of the civilians were evacuated, Broken Arrow would be called, and every aircraft the United States had to offer would be at their aid.

The hueys returned, taking the last civilians with them.

"Mitch, make the call!" Po said, Mitch pulling out his radio while firing with one hand.

"Broken Arrow! I say again, Broken Arrow! Broken Arrow!" He shouted.

"Roger, Broken Arrow. First help will arrive in thirty seconds." An operator responded, and Mitch put up his radio.

They continued to battle, a GI diving onto a grenade and saving two of his comrades as he died. Mitch ran out of ammo, and reloaded another large belt of bullets, beginning to fire again.

"There's too many of them, Po!" Mitch yelled, the fearless warrior even concerned.

"Every air unit is en-route now; we'll be fine!" Po said, firing his M-16.

They soon heard the roar of jets, as they dropped napalm around the perimeter of the village. Vietcong were incinerated by the flames, but they continued to come in seemingly endless numbers.

A North American F-100 Super Sabre dropped its enormous cargo right in front of Po, and then screeched away. A Douglas A-4 Skyraider opened fire with its machine guns, and then dropped the napalm on those it left as it flew away.

Gunships provided fire from the air; Red's huey staying low to the ground and Mason firing out the side.

"Shit, Red's too low to the ground!" Mitch yelled.

Po pulled out his radio quickly. "Red, gain altitude! They'll shoot you out of the sky!"

"We're fine, Major Ping." Chase said. "We've got you're back."

Suddenly, they watched as the helicopter took several rounds from a machine gun, making the helicopter smoke. Red quickly fired rockets at the Vietcong who shot the helicopter, and though the windshield had bullet holes in it and so did the bottom of the helicopter, it was still flying fine.

"We got him; anyone hit?" Red asked, turning to Mason and seeing that he was alright.

He then turned to Chase, his eyes widening. The co-pilot was putting pressure on a chest wound that was now gushing blood down his chest.

"I'm done…Red." Chase said weakly. "I'm greased."

The wolf slumped over, Red trying to shake him and wake him up, but he was already dead.

"Chase is dead! Repeat, Chase is dead!" Red yelled.

Po stopped firing, letting the fact sink in. The co-pilot that had been there for him since Ia Drang had finally died while supporting him.

"Po, snap out of it!" Mitch yelled, shaking Po out of his trance. "We've still got Charlie here!"

Red continued to provide cover fire, though Chase was dead in the seat beside him. Mason was enraged, raining down hell on the Vietcong for their loss. Mitch's gun was smoking, and another wave of hueys arrived, gradually withdrawing the troops.

Soon, it was only Po, Mitch, Koru, Kann, Xueren, Michael, Kajirn, Gravidal, Jiraiya, Tigerizza, and Keelin. Two hueys touched down, the soldiers ride home besides Red.

"Go, we'll cover you guys!" Po said as he and Mitch continued to fire.

After wishing them luck, Xueren, Michael, Kajirn, Gravidal, and Keelin headed to the two helicopters. Po and Mitch turned to the others, who watched as the two helicopters left.

"Why aren't you guys getting the hell out of here?" Mitch asked.

"We've got your back." Tigerizza said, smiling.

Mitch smiled back at her, and nodded. The group set up their last defensive positions, Red gaining some altitude and hovering around the area, providing cover fire.

They fought bravely, and then a bullet went through Po's chest, making him yell and fall to the ground.

"Po!" Mitch yelled and dropped his M60, running to his fallen friend.

"Shit, took it right in the chest." Po said.

Napalm was dropped all around them, giving them a small break from the advancing Vietcong. Mitch and Koru grabbed Po by the shoulders and dragged him to Red's helicopter as it landed.

Mitch put him on a bench, and looked at the others. They were still engaged in fighting.

"Everyone, let's get out of here!" Mitch yelled, the group running to the helicopter and piling in.

Just as Mitch took a step into the helicopter, his radio went off.

"Merindus, sound off. This is General Hoả Phong." Tai Lung said on the radio.

"Yes general?" Mitch asked.

"The Vietcong are going to regroup and send everything that they've got at you; I'm coming in a helicopter myself to pick you up when they regroup; we have urgent matters to discuss once we get airborne." Tai Lung said.

"Roger, general." Mitch said, and the radio went static.

Mitch got off, everyone's eyes widening at what he was doing.

"What the hell are you doing, Mitch?" Po demanded, wincing.

"General Hoả Phong is coming to get me out by huey, and the VC are going to regroup soon. That will give me the break I need." Mitch said. "Take care of yourselves guys, and I'll see you back on the beach soon. Now get the hell out of here!"

Red nodded and the helicopter took off, Po watching as his friend vanished from view. Mitch picked up his M60 as three Vietcong breached the inner part of the village. He hip fired his machine gun, yelling as the enemies he killed dropped dead to the ground. He moved forward, spraying a long line of enemies and killing them all.

A lone Vietcong soldier snuck up behind him, and thrust a bayonet from his rifle into his back. Mitch grunted and spun around, drawing his machete and cutting off the head of the soldier that stabbed him. After he killed the soldier, he was shot in the leg, making him fall to his knees, and then through the shoulder.

He spun around, crouched, and shot down the ones that shot him. He heard the rumble of a huey's rotors, and knew that the general would soon be there to "pick him up".

The tiger panted from exhaustion, but kept fighting against the troops until they fell back to regroup, thinking there were still other Americans besides him there. Mitch stood up, smiling as he saw a huey landing in front of him. He sprinted to the side and opened the door to the helicopter, his eyes widening as he came face to face with Tai Lung.

The evil general grinned. "Hello, Merindus; it is time to tie up loose ends."

Mitch raised his gun to fire but was too late. The leopard had gotten out and kicked the gun out of his hands. The leopard pulled out a knife, and quickly thrust it into the tiger's stomach. Mitch wheezed and rolled to the ground, grasping the knife now sticking out of him.

He tried to get up, Tai Lung kicking him in the face and sending him back to the ground. Mitch laid on his back, breathing heavily.

"Goodbye, Major Merindus." Tai Lung said, pulling out his pistol.

He shot him in the chest, making Mitch wheeze and fall back, coughing up blood.

Tai Lung's grin widened, and he laughed evilly. "Congratulations, Mitch; you die for your country. It is only a matter of time before your friend dies for his as well."

"You'll never kill him." Mitch said, glaring up at him.

Devastator came out of the chopper, ready to finish Mitch but Tai Lung stopped him.

"Let the Vietcong hounds kill him. They'll mutilate him, strip him of his clothes, and behead him." Tai Lung said, the two of them getting back into the helicopter and flying away.

Mitch watched as it flew away, hearing the shouts of Vietcong preparing to finish him. He grabbed the knife that pierced him, and slowly pulled it out while he gritted his teeth through the pain. He pulled it out finally, throwing it to the ground and struggling up. He clasped the bullet wound on his chest with one hand and grabbed his M60.

Suddenly, the radio sounded off again.

"Major Merindus, this is Central Command; is everyone out of Kunee Village? We're ready to turn that place to glass with napalm."

Mitch took his hand off the wound and pulled out his radio. "Yes…sir. We're all out…drop when you're ready."

"Confirmed. ETA thirty seconds."

He threw his radio to the ground, and went to the center of the village, coming face to face with a long line of charging Vietcong. He yelled and opened fire, killing as many as he could. He managed to kill so many that they began to fall back and attack at a different point. Another bullet went through his stomach, making him cough more blood onto the ground and crouch over it.

A Vietcong soldier tried to finish him with a bayonet but he hit him with the butt of his gun and shot him while he was on the ground. Another wave came in, and he continued to fire, taking another bullet to his other leg, and making him fall to the ground.

Suddenly, the Vietcong began to retreat as they saw the jets approaching. Mitch picked himself up and grabbed his M60, looking at the approaching jets. The Vietcong fled, but they would not escape the sheer amount of explosives the jets would bring.

Mitch opened his locket and looked at Ryu's face, smiling at seeing her. He knew that he would never see her again. He closed the locket and grabbed his cross with one hand, squeezing it as they approached.

"Almighty God…" Mitch said. "…let your will…be done."

The jets dropped the bombs, and the village was consumed.

* * *

Po was taken back to the base, where he was put into a M*A*S*H*. Tigress was there, and held his hand as the doctors removed the bullet from his chest. He was moved to a bed with the rest of the recovering patients, talking with Tigress who sat on the side of the bed with him.

Kann, Tigerizza, and Koru walked in, solemn looks on their faces. Po's smile at seeing them faded.

"Guys, what's wrong?" Po asked.

"Mitch…he…he didn't make it." Kann said solemnly.

Po's eyes widened, and a tear went down his cheek. "No…no…no! He was going to get out! The general that was supposed to pick him up was Tai Lung…and he shot him. We weren't able to find a body."

"I'm sorry, Po." Koru said.

"God…why? I promised his wife…I promised her I would bring him back alive! God, why did I fail her?" Po said, sobbing into Tigress' chest as she tried to comfort him.

"He died like he said he would be proud to do; defending his country." Tigerizza said.

Po said nothing more that day, overcome with grief at the loss of his friend and the failure to bring him back home safely. Days later, he left the hospital and went home with the others to the United States. As the plane stopped on the runway, just as it had for Po and Mitch for two years…he was not with them. The back bay opened, each stepping out solemnly.

Ryu rushed to him, hugging the panda and giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Where's Mitch?" She asked, smiling.

Po said nothing, a tear going down his eye.

Ryu's smile faded. "No…no…he can't be dead!"

"I'm so sorry, Ryu." Po said, Ryu embracing him and crying into his chest.

April 23, 1969.

One year later. The war escalated. Po went back to school, and managed to go to Medical School, still holding onto the guilt that he let his friend die. Then they came.

He walked down the street to his home, when a black limousine pulled up next to him. The window to the back rolled down, revealing a wolf.

"Major Ping, we need to talk." The wolf said.

"Who are you?" Po demanded.

"We'll explain; get in." The door opened, and Po slowly got in.

In the limo were two wolves; one was the wolf who just spoke to him, who wore a suit. The other was a colonel with a strange patch on his right arm.

"What is this all about?" Po demanded.

"My name is Johnston; I am an agent in the CIA. This is Colonel Brett, of the MACV SOG." The suited wolf said.

"Nice to meet you two." Po grumbled.

"We think you should have a look at this." Johnston said and handed him a folder.

Po took the folder and opened it. It read _Mitchell Merindus. Age: 26 (last seen). Sex: Male. Affiliation: Green Beret. _

Before he read on, Po glared at them. "Why are you making me read this? He is dead!"

"Read on." Colonel Brett said, crossing his arms.

He kept going. _Status: Missing in Action_. The panda's eyes widened, then went back to normal.

"You changed his status from KIA to MIA. You do know that they never found a body, so it makes sense that you did that. However, he was shot multiple times and had the fires of hell dropped on him; you're telling me that he survived?" Po yelled, throwing the folder to the ground.

Johnston smiled. "Then I presume you do not want to hear about 'the ghost', do you?"

Po stopped. "Go on."

"Shortly after your friend 'went missing', a mysterious soldier has been fighting alone in the jungles. He has brutally slaughtered the Vietcong and NVA; they call him 'The Ghost' for his lightning fast strikes. We have no idea who this guy is; he could be a rogue one of our soldiers, perhaps one of theirs, a mercenary, anything. But we believe that it could be your friend. Join the MACV SOG and you will go back to Vietnam and hunt down this 'Ghost'. It could be your friend, and if it is, there is no better candidate to bring him back to the United States. However, if you do join, you will not just do this mission; you will do many missions, thus being in another 'tour of duty', and if you find your friend, he as well. You have a choice; try and find your friend and help save your country from communism, or go on and forget about this chance, never knowing if he is still alive."

Po debated the decision, and then realized that he would go. He had to be sure he was dead. Knowing he had let down Ryu was eating him alive, and if he could bring him back, he thought he could correct his wrongs.

"I'm in." Po said. "But if this is not Mitch, and he is compromised, or if it is Mitch and he is compromised, what do I do?"

"Terminate him," Brett said. "With _extreme_ prejudice."

**End of Part I**

**A/N: Kunee falls and Po decides to return and try to find Mitch. This is the end of Part II, ushering in a more intense and more important set of chapters. Next chapter: The Ghost. Po returns to Vietnam to find Mitch or "The Ghost". What he finds will scare him. Please review, share, comment, and please, no flames!**


	11. The Ghost

**Kung Fu Panda: Apocalypse Now **by

Mitchicus

Chapter 11: The Ghost

**A/N: Here's another chapter of AN! This story has OCs from SilverTigerDirector (Koru and Yunwei, Jiu-Ne, Ko-Ri, and Tigress' real name, Hei-Wa), Racin Mason 24 (Xueren and Michael, with respect for his service), The Mysteriouswatcher (Kajirn), taskarrthetwisted (Kann), Gravidal The Dragon (Gravidal Bian), Psychic ninja (Jiraiya), Tigerizza (as herself), KungFuPandaFanatic (Devastator), and Keelin The Tiger (Keelin Falco). The soundtrack for this chapter is on my page on Deviantart, so please find it there. And now to the chapter!**

**Part II**

April 23, 1969.

While Po had joined the SOG, The Ghost did not stop his hunting for a minute.

A heavy rain fell over the jungles of South Vietnam, soaking both sides. Corporal Martin woke up, grasping his bleeding head with one hand as he looked at the helicopter from the inside. The huey had crashed in the jungles, and pieces of it now littered the ground around the chopper.

"Everyone alright?" He called out.

"Pilot's dead…and my arm's broken." The copilot coughed, looking out at the jungle through the broken windshield.

"We're good here." Two GIs said, picking themselves off of the floor of the helicopter.

"The VC will be on us any minute now." Martin said, the Americans beginning to curse and pray.

The copilot tried to activate the radio, seeing that it broke in the crash.

"We're alone out here; we have to surrender." The copilot said, everyone getting out of the helicopter.

They heard shouts in Vietnamese, squinting to see through the rain. A large force of Vietcong surrounded them, and the Americans put their hands above their heads.

"Get down, American scum!" One officer said, and the Americans did so.

He pulled out his pistol and shot the copilot, his body falling to the ground. The Americans trembled in fear, one trying to run and being shot as a result.

"Please, don't shoot-" One GI said before he was shot, the officer now pointing his gun at Martin.

"Please sir…I have a wife and kids." He pleaded.

The officer grinned. "Should have thought of that before you came over here."

"No!" Martin yelled before being shot, a picture of his wife and children falling onto the ground beside him.

They had only angered the monster that would cost all of them their lives.

The officer holstered his weapon. "Stack their bodies, and then we will burn them when the rain stops."

The soldiers did so, piling them in the mud. A Vietcong soldier picked up the photograph of Martin's family as he smoked a cigarette, looking at his wife.

"Damn, she's not even sexy." He said in Vietnamese, making the others laugh.

One soldier however, stood away from the group, the PPsh-41 in his hands trembling. The same soldier that took Martin's picture went over to him, throwing his mud to the ground before going to his side.

"What is wrong, Chinh?" The soldier asked.

Chinh sighed. "I'm scared to death, Danh."

"About what?"

"_Him._" Chinh said. "This is his territory, and his weather."

"We are the warriors of the rain and the highlands." Danh said. "Not your myth; the Americans will agree with me. This 'Ghost' that you keep ranting about is fake; he's just a hoax."

"I know he is not a made up warrior." Chinh said. "I've heard him."

"What?"

"I've heard him in the night. I've heard him laugh, and heard his magazines load." Chinh said.

"You are just putting more stress on yourself by this." Danh said.

"Explain the stacked dead, and no helicopters anywhere to be seen where we find them; whoever kills them is not being taken out of his mission, for he is a lone wolf. I have a wife and kids; I don't want to die. I got drafted, and now I'm stuck here for another six months. I just want to get out of this god damn war."

"Whatever you say, Chinh." Danh said.

Suddenly, blood splattered Chinh, his eyes widening as he wiped off the blood. He turned and saw Danh fall over, dying. The other soldiers were alerted, the officer shouting orders before a bullet went through his chest, sending him to the ground and ultimately killing him.

"It's him! It's The Ghost!" One soldier yelled, everyone firing in every direction to try and hit the elusive soldier.

They ceased firing, reloading their weapons and only hearing the sound of rain. Suddenly, they heard eerie laughter in the jungle, and lighting flashed, briefly revealing the figure of the horrifying warrior staring at them.

A soldier screamed, dropping his weapon and beginning to run in the opposite direction, his comrades following him as they fired back at the Ghost. The cunning warrior walked over to the dying Danh, looking into his widening eyes.

"You…you are real." Danh said weakly.

"Yes…and I am your worst nightmare." The Ghost said as he drew his machete before beheading him.

The Vietcong ran as fast as they could, one soldier even firing an RPG rocket behind them, knocking over several trees by the explosion. A straggler was grabbed by The Ghost, pulled behind a tree so he was not seen, and strangled. After dropping his body to the ground, The Ghost continued on.

Three Vietcong soldiers turned and opened fire with their rifles, only being struck by the power of an M60 wielded by the relentless Ghost. The Vietcong continued to run, grenades beginning to fall around them, exploding. Vietcong were shot into the air by the explosions, and they hoped to reach the nearest village, drawing the elusive warrior into the open.

A knife sailed through the air, making a soldier groan and fall to the ground. Ghost continued after them, retrieving his large knife and continuing the hunt. Chinh was in the front of the group, struggling to run. He threw down his rifle to be able to run faster, and went as fast as he could to get away from Ghost.

He turned his head as he ran, seeing a Vietcong pinned against a tree by The Ghost, screaming before he was sliced in half. He continued running, stumbling on a root and struggling to regain his speed. The Vietcong continued to panic, shooting in every direction.

Chinh's breathing became heavy, the tiger losing strength. He turned again, seeing none of his comrades behind him. He was overcome with fear, going to his knees and raising his arms in surrender. He posed like this for several minutes, only hearing the sound of the rain and thunder. Suddenly, he heard muddy footsteps, spinning his head in every direction to try and see the powerful warrior. He then turned around, seeing The Ghost right behind him. Lightning flashed and thunder crackled, making the sight all the more eerie.

The Ghost picked up Chinh with one hand, raising him off of his feet and drawing his machete, snarling.

"Please…I have a wife and kids." Chinh managed to say.

The Ghost stared into his fearful eyes…and then dropped him to the ground, Chinh beginning to cough. The Indochinese Tiger looked up at him, still afraid.

"Leave this war and live a peaceful life." The Ghost said, lighting flashing again.

When the light faded, The Ghost was gone, leaving Chinh alone in the rain.

* * *

The next day.

The C-130 landed on the runway of Firebase Bravo, formerly known as GI Beach. The back ramp was lowered, Po picking up his gear and getting out. He saw an old friend, dropping his things and wrapping Kann in a bear hug, the wolf chuckling.

"What the hell are you doing here, you son of a bitch?" Po asked, laughing.

"I got recruited like you, Po; Koru and Tigerizza are already here, but they're out on the mission as we speak. The rest won't get here until tomorrow."

"It's good to see you, my friend." Po said, patting him on the back and picking his stuff up as they walked down the runway.

They came back to Po's old barracks, and saw that it was left untouched since he had left it, and Red's huey sat on the helipad outside of it. He went to a nearby bar, and entered the building with Kann. At the bar sat Red, Mason, and an unknown pilot.

Po tapped Red on the shoulder, the wolf turning around to see Po grinning.

"Po, you little fucker!" He said laughing, shaking his hand.

"Good to see you too, Red." Po said and greeted Mason again.

"Po this is Jason, Jason this is Po." Red said.

"Nice to meet you sir." The wolf said and shook Po's hand. "I'm your copilot now; filling in Chase's place."

Po nodded. "When can we move out?"

"Right away…though I just had a beer." Red said, getting out of his chair and the other two doing so as well. "Where do we look?"

"Let's start with what's left with Kunee. Kann will go deeper into the highlands." Po said.

"That's pure commie territory; and you both will be split up. Are you still ok with that?" Mason asked.

"Sure am. Now let's head out." Po said, the group exiting the bar and Red, Mason, and Jason climbing into the huey, starting it up.

Po and Kann picked up their rifles and got into the huey. The gunship had recently had four more rocket pods added, a modification that Red managed to do himself. Two on each side (three on each side in all), they formed a triangle shape with the pods. The M60s magazines were extended, as were for the miniguns and the grenade launcher in the nose.

The helicopter took off, climbing into the sky. Po sighed. He was home again. The familiar jungles and friends, the battles. He could not lie in saying that he didn't miss some of the things that lay in Vietnam. However, it would be hard for him to see Kunee again, if his friend had truly died there.

"There it is, Kunee…or what's left of it." Red said, lowering the helicopter to a nearby field.

He hovered it over the ground, Po jumping out and turning off the safety to his M-16.

"Good luck, Po." Red said.

"I'll see you when the mission's over." Kann said, shaking Po's hand from the helicopter door.

Po stepped back, and the helicopter climbed into the air, vanishing from view. He was all alone in the jungle now…at least, him, Charlie, and The Ghost were in the jungle. He moved forward, stepping into the gates of hell. He could not see far in front of him, since a thick fog filled the area, making the mission all the more eerie.

Dead Americans and Vietcong lined the ground. Could The Ghost have killed Americans? He would find out soon enough. He suddenly saw a few Americans struggling on the ground, wounded. He rushed to help them, but dove onto the ground and hid in the grass as he heard the rumble of a tank.

A Russian PT-76 knocked down trees in the jungle, NVA soldiers riding on the sides of it. One pointed out the wounded Americans, and they aimed at them. Po closed his eyes as he heard them fire, and then opened them when the tank had passed.

He went to the bodies and collected the dog tags, putting them in his backpack. The panda continued on, stepping over a small stream. He found a dying Vietcong soldier, blood dripping out of his mouth. The panda went on one knee and helped him drink water from his canteen.

"Soldier, who did this to you?" Po asked in Vietnamese.

"The Ghost…The Ghost." The soldier said before going limp, Po standing up and putting his canteen away.

He sighed and continued on, coming to the land that was once Tigress' home village. This was it. He would finally get answers.

He went into the field, squinting to see through the fog. Ashes lay on the barren landscape, as well as burnt trees. Small pieces of wood that once were the huts of Tigress' people laid on the ground, and the rice patties held no water. In the distance lay more barren landscape, thanks to Agent Orange that was making both sides suffer. But that is not what nearly made him hurl.

Bodies of NVA and Vietcong lie stacked everywhere, blood trails from where they were dragged in all directions. The Ghost had certainly done this, knowing no American squad would do such a thing. He covered his nose with one paw to keep the smell of rotten flesh out of his nostrils, and tried not to look at the maggots eating the bodies and the flies buzzing around them.

He came to a part where only blood was on the ground, and pulled his paw away; getting cleaner air than what it was where the bodies were.

"Panda…you should not have come!" A booming voice said, echoing across the hills and alerting Po, the panda aiming down the sights of his weapon and spinning around, trying to find The Ghost. "You fool! Why have you come here?"

"Come out, Ghost, and we'll talk." Po said. "This does not have to end in bloodshed."

"It will end in bloodshed, but it will be your blood if you do not leave this place!" The Ghost roared.

"You know that I will not leave until I find out what happened to my friend." Po said, hearing laughter.

The Ghost did not speak, Po assuming that he had gone back into the jungles. He went into the jungles, searching for him. He travelled for thirty more minutes until he heard North Vietnamese shouting, and then hearing an explosion. He looked up to see a flaming tank turret flying through the sky.

"Wow…that SOB took out that tank." Po said, laughing.

He hurried forward, trying to find The Ghost battling the NVA. A group of Vietcong however, heard the panda and surrounded him. Po ducked behind a tree, bullets driving into it. He noticed a soldier in front of him and shot him quickly, rolling on the ground to another tree as an explosion from a grenade went off were he once was.

He fired his M203, blasting three communists into the air and killing them. He fired his weapon in bursts, desperately trying to kill those who surrounded him. He killed five more until one tackled him, pointing his machine gun down at him. Suddenly, a bullet went through his head, the guerilla fighter rolling to the ground.

The others turned to face the new threat, only seeing fog. They opened fire in all directions, Po seeing a glimpse of the warrior as he made one cut; beheading two of the Vietcong. The others desperately kept fighting, until they were shot by the concealed warrior. As they dropped to their knees and fell, they were continually shot, The Ghost making sure they were dead.

Soon the Vietcong there were wiped out, leaving Po alone in the jungle, only hearing the yells of wounded and dying communists. He dropped his M-16 and picked up a Vietcong soldier's machine gun, a WWII MG 42. The weapon is the fastest firing single barreled weapon to this day, nicknamed "Hitler's Buzz saw" by Allied troops for its sound and power. It had been captured by the Russians and given to the invaders.

He wielded the deadly machine gun and looked around the jungle, believing The Ghost to be in no way friendly.

"You dare wield that weapon against me?" He roared. "I am The Ghost, the ruler of Vietnam!"

"Not for long." Po said.

The panda fired all around the jungle, knocking down trees and trying to hit his target as he fired in a circle. He continued to do so until the weapon ran out of ammo, the panda dropping it to the ground and picking up his M-16 again, waiting for The Ghost.

"You truly are foolish, panda." The Ghost said, Po spinning around to face him.

Po tried to fire but the weapon was kicked out of his hands, and the panda hit in the face with the butt of the warrior's machine gun, making him roll to the ground and black out.

"Not much of a challenge." Ghost said proudly, and dragged the panda to his lair.

"Po, The Ghost is not a friendly! Repeat, he is not a friendly!" Koru yelled on Po's radio. "We've got American dead, wounded, and dying, and they profess him to be their enemy! Do not try to befriend Ghost! He is a mad killer!"

The panda never heard him, and he was captured by the ferocious warrior.

**A/N: Po battles The Ghost and is ultimately captured by him. Next chapter: War Corrupts. The identity of Ghost is revealed, and Po must escape his clutches if he has to. Please review, share, comment, and please, no flames!**


	12. War Corrupts

**Kung Fu Panda: Apocalypse Now **by

Mitchicus

Chapter 12: War Corrupts

**A/N: Back with another chapter for AN! This story has OCs from SilverTigerDirector (Koru and Yunwei, Jiu-Ne, Ko-Ri, and Tigress' real name, Hei-Wa), Racin Mason 24 (Xueren and Michael, with respect for his service), The Mysteriouswatcher (Kajirn), taskarrthetwisted (Kann), Gravidal The Dragon (Gravidal Bian), Psychic ninja (Jiraiya), Tigerizza (as herself), KungFuPandaFanatic (Devastator), and Keelin The Tiger (Keelin Falco). Who is The Ghost? Find out now!**

April 24, 1969.

Tigress paced the floors of Po's apartment, worrying for him. She sighed and sat down, covering her face with her paws. She couldn't watch the television, knowing Po was over there once again.

"Ryu, you didn't deserve to lose Mitch." Tigress said. "And I can't imagine losing Po."

"I do miss him, but he died protecting us." Ryu said. "I've known Po for quite some time; he'll be fine."

"I hope so." Tigress said. "Do you even know why he went back?"

"No," Ryu answered. "It was 'confidential' according to him."

Tigress sighed. "I hope nothing happens to him."

* * *

Po opened his eyes slowly, looking around. He was in a Vietcong tunnel, one light bulb dangling above as the only light source. Around him was a bunk bed, ammunition and weapons, and a wooden wall with countless tallies. He did not want to know what they were for. He struggled but found that his hands were bound behind his back by a rope.

He was startled at the sound of a sniper rifle's shot, and heard laughter afterwards.

"One bullet kills two! What skill I have!" He could hear the Ghost exclaim.

Two more shots rang out, and then he heard a hatch open. He looked down the tunnel and saw a ladder leading up to the surface, the Ghost sliding down the ladder and closing the hatch. He set down his rifle and walked towards Po, smiling.

"Mitch!" Po yelled.

The Ghost frowned. "No, you must be mistaken."

"But…you look like him…it has to be you!"

The White Tiger had scars all over his face, sea blue eyes, and wore a green flak jacket, tiger camouflage pants, an olive green bandanna, and black combat boots. A knife was strapped to his chest, a machete to his back, and grenades, ammo, and a pistol on his belt. Two M60 belts were over his shoulders, forming an "X".

"I am afraid not." The Ghost said, sitting on a stool in front of him. "Are you speaking of Mitchell Merindus?"

Po nodded, biting his lip for what he would hear next.

"Ah, Mitch. That man died a year ago at Kunee; I watched him die." Ghost said.

"That…that is terrible to hear." Po said, his face falling.

"I am sorry; was he a friend of yours?" Ghost asked.

"A best friend…" Po said.

"One of many losses." Ghost said, and then smiled. "Forgive me, I forgot to introduce myself! I am Nikolai Bravchenko; my squad got wiped out last April, a year ago. I've been here ever since, hunting the VC and NVA. I heard they now call me The Ghost?" He asked, chuckling.

"They do; they truly do fear you. Word is that you do not spare any of them. And I am Po, nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, Po. And I do not kill every one of them." Nikolai said laughing. "Forgive me for you being tied up; when you were shooting to kill me, I wasn't just going to shake your hand. But now I can trust you."

The White Tiger pulled out a knife and cut the bonds of Po, freeing him.

"How do you live here? Get food, ammo, you know?"

"I killed every last VC rat that was in here nine months ago." Nikolai said. "But I fight for the villagers; they give me rice as a gift for my protection for them. Water is from a stream east of here. I get ammunition off of dead NVA, VC and American soldiers."

"Do you…kill Americans?" Po asked.

Nikolai sighed. "I have killed Americans before."

"Why have you done such a sin against your own country?" Po demanded.

Nikolai growled, and then sighed. "I'll tell you the only time I killed Americans: I was hunting through the jungle when I saw a squad of Americans going through a village, pushing them into a line. I believe they were frustrated with the villagers not telling them of mine and trap locations, and wanted to kill the villagers in their anger. They aimed at them…and before they could fire, I went into the open and demanded them to not harm the civilians. They aimed at me and fired, wounding me. However, I fired in self-defense and killed most of them, wounding the rest. I would not watch civilians be murdered."

Po nodded, now seeing why he did such a thing. "In this war we must always make moral choices. But tell me; has that ever stopped you from slaughtering the enemy?"

"I have killed too many…" Nikolai admitted. "…but I do spare them occasionally. But I am a mad killer, nonetheless."

"I have to bring you back to GI Beach." Po said.

Nikolai widened his eyes. "No! I have to stay here! It is my duty!"

"I have orders from the CIA and MACV SOG to bring you back; the president himself has ordered this. Want to keep making a difference for your country? Come with me." Po said.

Nikolai tried to protest, but nodded instead. Po went up the ladder, opening the hatch and throwing a smoke grenade into the open, one that would draw the search parties to them.

"This is my life." Nikolai said. "I can't leave it."

"It is too late now. Besides, they will kill you if you do not cooperate."

Suddenly, Nikolai grabbed Po by his shirt and threw him into a wall.

"What have you done to me?" Nikolai demanded. "I have killed Americans! They will not let me live!"

"Yes they will." Po reassured him.

Nikolai clasped his face with his paws, crying. It was strange for Po to see such a ferocious killer cry like this.

"I will not survive what they send me into; I foresee it, panda. I just wanted a peaceful life. This war has corrupted me and now all of my dreams are crushed by it!"

"You will get back home once this is all over." Po reassured him.

Nikolai nodded again, and picked up an M60. "This is my favorite; if I'm going to battle for my country again, I'll bring this."

Po nodded. "Mitch liked the M60."

"Then he was a smart soldier." Nikolai said.

They heard the hum of hueys in the distance, and went up the ladder, waiting for them on the hill. The amount of hueys scared away any VC or NVA in the area, so enemy attack was not something to worry about.

The hueys landed, and Kann, Koru, and Tigerizza stepped out, their weapons pointed at Nikolai as Po and the tiger went up to them.

"What is your name?" Kann asked.

"Nikolai Bravchenko." The tiger said.

"Say, you look familiar." Koru said, stepping forward and going eye to eye with Nikolai.

"What do you mean?" Nikolai asked.

"I don't know, it just seems that I have seen you before…" Koru said, quickly reaching under Nikolai's jacket and holding a steel cross from its dog tag chain. "…Nikolai…or should I say…Mitch?"

Nikolai's eyes widened before he was punched in the face by Koru, rolling to the ground.

"You kill Americans? What the hell has gotten into you, Mitch?" Koru yelled, kicking Nikolai in the face.

"I am Nikolai Bravchenko!" He yelled back at him, his face beginning to bleed. "Not Mitch!"

Koru punched him three more times, before being pulled back by Tigerizza and Kann. Po glared down at Nikolai.

"You lie to me? Your friend? It was you all along, lying to me?"

"I am Nikolai! Not Mitch!" He yelled. "I did not lie to you!"

Po hit him in the face with the butt of his rifle, knocking him out.

"Let's get the fuck out of here." Po yelled, two GIs coming up and dragging the body to a helicopter.

The panda was handed the cross by Koru, Po glaring down at it and then squeezing it. If it was truly Mitch, had he gone mad? Is that why he called himself such? He would find out soon enough. He would drain the life out of "Nikolai" until he found out.

**A/N: The Ghost's rule is ended. Do you believe Nikolai is telling the truth? Next chapter: Answers. Po gets the answers he needs from Nikolai, and sets out on a mission to Germany. Please review, share, comment, and please, no flames!**


	13. Answers

**Kung Fu Panda: Apocalypse Now **by

Mitchicus

Chapter 13: Answers

**A/N: Yet another chapter of AN is out! This story has OCs from SilverTigerDirector (Koru and Tigress' real name, Hei-Wa), taskarrthetwisted (Kann), Tigerizza (as herself), and KungFuPandaFanatic (Devastator). I am afraid that most OCs have been removed to make the story easier; I apologize for this, but I hope you all still love the story just as much. Please don't be angry with me, but I'm trying to keep the story to what it is and keep it going on a bright path. I hope that I don't have to do anything like this again. Is The Ghost really Mitch? Find out now!**

April 27, 1969.

Po opened the cell door and entered the room, looking down at Nikolai. He tossed Mitch's cross to him, the White Tiger catching it with one hand.

"It is you. The blood test showed the results. Why did you lie to me?" Po demanded.

Mitch sighed and put the cross's chain around his neck. "I did not want you to find me; I wanted you to leave me in that jungle to eventually die."

"Why is that? I thought you wanted to go back and live with Ryu?"

"I am not the man I used to be; I can't tell her that I killed US soldiers, and killed so many enemies just to survive. I can't." Mitch said.

"I see your point; but why lie to me? I thought I was your friend."

"You are my friend; but I did not want even you to find me. I wanted everyone to think that I was dead. It doesn't matter now. I am to be executed in a matter of minutes." Mitch said solemnly. "If only they knew why I actually killed them."

"There has to be a way to get you out of this." Po said.

"There is no hope for me. I can hear the guards coming already." The tiger said.

Po turned his head, hearing them as well. He even had thoughts of busting his friend out of the jail and releasing him into the jungle, at least letting him live instead of being killed.

To his surprise, the guards and the wolf that stood between them were not there to bring him to execution.

Red stood between them, grinning.

"Hello, Mitch." Red said, and handed Mitch a folder, stepping back and nodding to Po.

The tiger opened the folder and began to read, his eyes widening.

"You have been presidentially pardoned by Nixon, my friend." Red said. "I'm happy to bring you the news. However, you are now required to go on a range of missions with a selected team in order to preserve democracy in the world."

Mitch nodded, and closed the folder, kissing his cross and thanking God for sparing him.

"Then we better get moving."

Red grinned, and the two guards set a new uniform and his some of his old weapons in front of him. Mitch got off of the ground and inspected the items. New tiger camouflage pants and an olive green military jacket with a strange emblem on the left side of the chest area. It was the MACV SOG patch's famous skull.

He looked to the other pile and found his pistol belt holding the holster and his M1911, as well as his SOG knife. He changed into the clothes and noticed a Lieutenant Colonel emblem was on the collars of his jacket, and he chuckled as he put on the jacket, and put on his belt, finally strapping on his knife.

"So I'm good to go?"

"We're going straight to Germany." Red said. "The team is waiting outside."

Mitch walked out the doorway, patting Po and Red on the shoulder as he left, and the group followed him out. They came out, finding Koru, Kann, and Tigerizza standing in a line, waiting for them.

"Glad to have you back." Kann said smiling, Mitch nodding.

"It is good to see you all again." Mitch said. "Now, let's get to Germany; they need us there."

The group turned and went towards the C-130 starting its engines, and entered the plane. The group mainly talked to Mitch on the way, asking how he survived for so long and what he did during that time. After several stops to refuel, they reached West Berlin, surrounded by Soviet territory but under the control of the United States, Britain, and France.

The plane touched down at Tempelhof Airport, which had once been the site of the Berlin Airlift many years before. The back ramp was lowered, and the team stepped out. The airfield had planes going to and fro, and Allied troops went around the city.

"Ah, I'm home." Mitch said happily, looking around.

"What do you mean? You're American." Kann said laughing.

"Part German my friend, part German." Mitch responded. "It truly is a shame that Hitler fucked up this excellent country; it used to be the most educated and advanced country in Europe; no longer. For Hitler's sins, it is now under military occupation. I truly feel bad for the German people."

"I do too. However, the West Germans love democracy much more than they would communism in the east." Po responded.

A wolf walked towards them, the group saluting, since the soldier was a colonel.

"At ease." The colonel said. "Do you two remember me?" He asked smiling.

Po and Mitch's eyes widened.

"Colonel Branson?"

The wolf nodded.

"It's good to see you sir! The last time I saw you was before Ia Drang!" Po exclaimed.

"With Sargeant Killjoy!" Mitch added, the three laughing.

"It is good to see the both of you again." The colonel said. "I'm glad I recruited you that day; now look at you! Working with the CIA and SOG!"

"We've been through a lot sir, but we'll continue to fight as long as our country needs us." Mitch said.

"Good man." The colonel said nodding. "I've been sent to give the both of you your orders; you will go into Soviet East Berlin and eliminate General Bravdonsky. He has been helping the killing of many German civilians as they try and flee to West Berlin. Once he is eliminated, the Russians will put Colonel Dragoto in his place, not knowing that he is a US sympathizer and will minimize civilian deaths." He folded his arms behind his back and cleared his throat, continuing. "The team will be wearing Russian and East German military uniform, and will slip in at night via a Russian helicopter, piloted by your friends Red, Jason, and Mason, who will also be your extract team. Once inside, you will proceed to the Russian headquarters after you have met up with German resistance fighters at Vendren Street; they will lay down their lives for you so that more of their people can escape to freedom. Kill the general, and find an extract zone so they will bring you back over West German air space."

"Got it, colonel." Po said.

"Equipment and uniforms are waiting in that building." The colonel said, and the group said farewell to the colonel, entering the barracks.

Mitch went into a Soviet officer's uniform (since he was part Siberian as well), which made his physical appearance work to his benefit. Po went into an officer's uniform as well, Kann and Kajirn into East German uniforms, and the rest into Soviet private uniforms.

"Each of you will have a suppressor added to your M1911; this is your only armament besides your knives until you meet up with the German freedom fighters, who will supply you with Russian toys." A weapons specialist said, handing them suppressors. "After your mission, you will be put back in your jungle gear and will be sent back to Vietnam."

The group hid their weapons under their uniforms, putting on Russian caps if they were in a private uniform.

"Great, we're the bad guys now." Tigerizza said.

They waited until nightfall, stepping out to see the airfield in just as much activity as when they had first arrived. Red, Mason, and Jason got into a Soviet Mil MI-2 and started its engine, Mason readying a RPD machine gun in the side. The team piled in, Po noticing the 57mm rockets and the 27mm cannon. If things got bad, Red would keep them afloat as he did so well in Vietnam.

"Let's get going guys!" Red said, pulling the helicopter off of the ground.

The AA guns on the ground were sure to not shoot them down leaving or returning to base, knowing of the mission. In the dead of night, with the helicopter having no visible lights on until it was in Soviet territory (to avoid suspicion), it cut through the German air. The team loaded their weapons, Mitch and Po saying their prayers and doing the same.

The helicopter came to a Soviet airstrip, soldiers coming out to inspect the aircraft. The team piled out, while Red, Mason, and Jason stayed with the helicopter and had the helicopter inspected by the soldiers.

The team left the airstrip, the Soviets believing them to be returning from a routine patrol around the city to make sure there were no escapes in progress. The airstrip was near the Berlin Wall, and the group saw the large towers guarding it.

Suddenly, they heard a terrified voice. "Bitte nicht schießen mir!Bitte!"

The civilian had crossed into "No Man's Land" they realized, and heard a gunshot shortly afterwards. They had killed the German trying to escape.

Po turned to Koru, seeing the White Tiger's face that showed how he held back a laugh of bitterness and irony, yet showed his disgust.

"And so the whip changes hands, and the shield has turned to protect the previous handler..." Koru said, and walked on.

"One day these Soviet bastards will pay." Po said, and followed the group on.

"Where are we supposed to meet them?" Kann asked, stopping.

"Here," Mitch said.

"Shouldn't they come out though?" Tigerizza asked.

"They think we're Soviets and East German authorities. This will tell them if we're friends or foes." The tiger said, pointing to two Soviets walking down the street.

He pulled out his pistol and took two shots, killing them both and letting their bodies fall to the ground.

"Tod in die Sowjetunion!" He said in German, hearing no response at first.

"Und der Wiedervereinigung von Deutschland!" Another said in the darkness.

Parts of the city still lay in ruins from the Battle of Berlin, as did this street. Out of the ruins came several Germans, wielding MP40 submachine guns. They nodded to them, and pointed to a building to their right. As the team went towards the building, the resistance fighters pulled the Soviet bodies into the shadows.

The team entered the large building, which once was a factory for the Nazi regime. It even had torn swastika flags hanging on the walls still. A small record player played "der königgrätzer marsch" on a low volume, the room torn apart. A panther stepped out of the shadows, wearing a black coat and pants.

"Hallo, der Amerikaner." The panther said. "I am Fritz Adler. These men and I have lived in the shadows, knowing that if we started a small rebellion, it would be quickly crushed. We have only been able to kill Russians when they are alone on this street. But now we will help you, then vanish back into the shadows." He nodded to one wolf, and the German went to a closet door, opening it.

"The Russians have kindly given us many weapons. You can take everything you need; we have too much already." Fritz said.

"Danke, Fritz." Mitch said, and the panther nodded.

Po and Tigerizza took AK-47s, Kann a PPSh-4, and Koru taking an SVD. Mitch found an MG 42 and took the heavy machine gun with a wide grin. They took extra ammunition, and took off the suppressors for their pistols, knowing it would be a firefight with no need for quiet shots. After this, they took Model 24 Stielhandgranate grenades, left over from WWII.

"You look as if you're ready to retake Berlin all by yourself." Fritz said, chuckling. "Now, let us move quickly; we Germans are very fast."

"Still as arrogant as they were under Hitler." Po murmured, no one hearing him.

They moved through the dark alleys, and stopped as the headquarters came into view.

"Great, it's a fortress." Po said. "Who will draw them out?"

"We have that covered." Fritz said. "We Germans will lay down our lives if it means thousands more of us may live in freedom. Wait here, and we will draw them out. A pleasure meeting you all."

"It was nice meeting you as well, Fritz." Mitch said, and shook his hand. "You will make the German people proud."

Fritz smiled and nodded, then vanished into the shadows. The team waited in the darkness, looking at the headquarters. Spotlights scanned the street for intruders, and the headquarters was fortified with a large wall around it, watchtowers, and guards watching the perimeter.

"When they stir the beehive, how are we going to get in through that wall? They'll certainly close the gate once they go after them." Po said.

Tigerizza laughed, and shook a small bag that she had over her shoulder.

"These will do the trick." She said smiling.

"What's in there?" Koru asked.

"C4; took it back at the barracks secretly. Enough to blow up the entire Berlin Wall…well, a good portion of it at least." Tigerizza said laughing.

Mitch smiled and nodded, and they waited. Thirty minutes passed, and the team was beginning to believe they wouldn't get the diversion when two RPG rockets suddenly shot out of the windows of two buildings and slammed into the building, killing countless Soviets.

An alarm began to sound, and the guards in the watchtowers were shot by German marksmen, falling out of the towers and onto the hard ground. Enemy troops began running out of the headquarters, heading for the buildings where the shots had come from.

"God protect them." Mitch said. "Let's move!"

They moved forward, putting their backs against the wall.

"Tigerizza, get to work!" Po said.

The tiger pulled out two C4 explosives on the wall and the group backed up. She detonated the explosives, and they entered the perimeter. Three guards rushed forward, yet the group quickly eliminated the threat. They went up the stairs and Kann tossed in a grenade, killing two concealed enemies.

"Mitch, give 'em hell!" Po said, the tiger stepping forward and firing a spray of his machine gun, filling five communists full of lead.

Three more rushed down the stairs, only to be shot by Koru's rifle. They went in, going up the next stairwell and coming to the second floor. Kann shot down four with his submachine gun, and Tigerizza killed three more. They kept moving quickly, and came to the general's office.

The general jumped out of his chair and tried to aim a pistol at them, only to have the weapon shot out of his hands by Koru. Po pulled out his knife and threw it, the blade driving into his skull.

"Well, that was easy." Po said, pulling out his knife and cleaning it.

"The Soviets will be back soon, let's get moving." Koru said, and the group came back to the entrance…only to jump behind the walls when the room began to be shot to bits by machine gun fire.

The Soviets had seen them inside of the headquarters, and were determined to wipe them out before they could escape.

"Quick, use the alleys!" Mitch said, and plowed through a window, rolling onto the ground.

He tossed a grenade into the wall and blew a hole into it, diving through it and helping the others through. Po went last, and as they ran down the alley, they began to take fire from the Soviets behind them.

Po spun around and shot them with his AK-47, and continued to run.

Meanwhile, all of Berlin was awake at the sound of sirens. The tiger put out his cigarette and turned to the Snow Leopard.

"General, it seems our Soviet allies have a problem on their hands." Devastator said.

Tai Lung smiled. "Deal with them, Devastator."

…

"Come on, let's go!" Po said, the group entering a large train station.

A train went past them, and they set up defensive positions. Mitch mounted his MG 42 and let no Soviet escape its bullets, the others digging in and holding the area. Another train began to pass, and the team realized that was their only escape.

"Come on, get on!" Po said, jumping onto the side of the train.

The others did so, Mitch struggling to get a grip when he had a machine gun with him as well. The Soviets stopped and started firing at them, Koru sniping as many as he could. The team went up the ladders and went on top of the train, when they heard a loud thud from behind them on the train.

"What the hell was that?" Mitch asked, holding onto his weapon tightly.

At the back of the train they saw a figure going towards them, running quickly. As he neared, they saw it was Devastator.

Kann raised his weapon to shoot, but Mitch raised his hand to tell him otherwise.

"No; he's mine. Time for payback at Camp Chun."

"Definitely." Kann replied.

Mitch handed his weapon to Po and ran towards Devastator, the two charging at the other. They both roared before Mitch managed to tackle the large tiger, trying to get a hold on him as they wrestled. Mitch punched Devastator three times, and though they were powerful, they were not strong enough against the monster that was Devastator. Devastator grabbed his hand and pushed him back, tackling him instead and drawing a knife, thrusting it downwards.

Mitch grabbed his arm and looked at the blade right in front of his eye, trying to keep it from killing him.

"That's it." Kann said and threw his weapon down, running forward and kicking Devastator in the face, making his knife fall of the train and him roll back. Mitch got up and the two began to battle Devastator.

Devastator still managed to subdue their attacks, and kicked Mitch in the face with a roundhouse kick, sending him nearly off the train had he not grabbed a hold of a ladder on the side. He clung onto the train with one hand, struggling to get a break.

"Mitch, look out!" Po yelled, the tiger turning his head to the right to see another train coming their way, ready to crush him.

The tiger quickly pulled himself back on top, watching as the train sped past where he once was. Kann double kicked Devastator and made him stagger backwards, Tigerizza, Po, and Koru joining the fight. Tigerizza cut him with her claws, making him growl in pain and Po managing to stab him with his knife. However, Devastator pushed them all back and pulled out the knife, throwing it off the train and running at them.

Po punched Devastator in the face, then Koru hitting him with an aerial roundhouse kick. Devastator snarled and punched Koru to the ground, but not knocking him out of the fight. Koru grinned as Devastator retracted his claws and lunged at him, thrusting a knife into his throat.

Devastator wheezed, and staggered backwards, clasping the knife sticking out of his throat. Mitch stepped forward, going face to face with Devastator. He reached forward and pulled the pin of one of the grenades on Devastator's belt, and kicked him off of the train. The grenade exploded, sending Devastator up in chunks.

Mitch took a deep breath and sat down on the train.

"That's one bastard down; never thought we'd see him again." Po said, sitting next to him.

The group was tired, and they sat down as well. They suddenly heard the blades of several helicopters coming towards them.

"Red, we need evac! We're on a train; you'll see it by the whole Soviet army on our tail!" He yelled, receiving static. "Oh God dammit!" Po said angrily, picking up his weapon.

The rest did so, seeing Soviet gunships going towards them. They opened fire with rockets and machine guns, blasting the area around the train to bits.

"Open fire!" Po commanded, everyone beginning to shoot.

Kann and Tigerizza shot down one helicopter by taking out its wings. Koru shot down another by shooting through the cockpit of one helicopter and hitting the pilot in the head. Po and Mitch opened fire with their weapons, seeing the helicopter explode and crash to the ground in a fiery mess.

They saw more helicopters coming.

"We're fucked." Po said.

"Someone call for cavalry?" Red said over the radio.

"Red you son of a bitch!" Po said laughing as Red's helicopter dove in, battling the three helicopters.

It shot down one with rockets, evading the weaponry of the other two and taking another out with its cannon. After dodging the last one's attack, Red blasted the final one to hell with all of his weapons.

He turned the helicopter and came towards them, Mason lowering a rope to them as the helicopter flew above them and kept up with the train. The team jumped onto the rope and the helicopter pulled away, each holding on for life but gladly taking the chance rather than being in Soviet territory for one more second.

They got up the rope, and fell into the cockpit exhausted. Mason laughed and congratulated them on their work.

"Congrats guys. But we still have work to do." Mason said. "We have to go back to 'Nam. Word is that we're going to launch a secret attack into Cambodia."

"This'll be good." Kann said grinning, and the others nodded.

Tigerizza went up to the cockpit and kissed Red on the cheek.

"Thanks for saving us back there." She said smiling.

Red's face reddened, and he struggled to keep the helicopter level if it were not for Jason's assistance. Mitch laughed at the experience, each knowing that their duties were far from over.

**A/N: The team kills the Soviet general and returns to Vietnam for a full-scale offensive on Cambodia. Next chapter: Blitzkrieg. Po and the others join the secret offensive, hoping to destroy as much of the Ho Chi Minh Trail as they can. Please review, share, comment, and please, no flames!**


	14. Blitzkrieg

**Kung Fu Panda: Apocalypse Now **by

Mitchicus

Chapter 14: Blitzkrieg

**A/N: I'm back with another chapter! This story has OCs from SilverTigerDirector (Koru and Tigress' real name, Hei-Wa), taskarrthetwisted (Kann), Tigerizza (as herself). Time is running out though unfortunately. School will start next week. I will try to update as much as I can, and we must pray that I'll still be able to write then. Anyways, on to the chapter!**

April 29, 1969.

Confidential. Top secret. The whereabouts and status of the group of soldiers was hidden by their government. If they were captured, their government would deny their involvement and even their existence. Succeed in their goals and only the government would know of them. They would not be hailed any higher than the other soldiers fighting in the oversea war, who even then received no credit for their service. However, each on the team was dedicated to serving their country and completing its tasks.

Po rallied the team, the group taking up their weapons as they sat on Firebase 971, with the rest of the Marine task force who also were gathered for the strike in secret, sworn to not speak of this mission.

Po went in front of the Marines. "Alright boys, saddle up! We're hitting the NVA with everything we have, and it'll be one hell of a fight. Get to your vehicles and let's move!"

The Marines cheered and hurried to their vehicles. Each was excited about going into Cambodia, seeing it as an excellent opportunity to even win the war. So many had lost their friends to communists who slipped across its border into safety, no more. The communists knew the attack was coming, and they wouldn't be able to escape from the Americans any longer.

Po climbed into an M48 Patton tank, grabbing an M2 Browning on the top of it. Mitch went into another tank, doing the same, Tigerizza into the side of a jeep and wielding an M79 grenade launcher, Kann and Koru going into a huey and going onto the M60 machine guns.

Po and Mitch's tanks rolled out of the base first, leading the trail of tanks, jeeps, mobile artillery, armored transports and helicopters that hovered in the air. They went forward, cutting down narrow paths and managing to not hit any mines or booby traps. They crashed over trees and kept going, eventually coming to a large field that was the border between South Vietnam and Cambodia. A line of enemy tanks came out of the trees, Po gritting his teeth.

The Americans formed a horizontal line of their own, the helicopters and even jets intentionally staying behind a ways in order to get a jump on the enemy. PT-76 and T54 Russian tanks faced them, as well as deployed anti-tank guns and artillery. Po ordered their own artillery to go into place, and they did so.

He gave the order to charge.

On his order, the artillery opened fire at the enemy positions, catching some enemy soldiers and tanks in its radius and blasting them away. The communists responded with their own artillery, but the blitzkrieg was already in place. All of the jeeps, tanks, and armored vehicles charged, creating a large field of dust that managed to intimidate the enemy.

This was a recreation of the famous strategy of the Third Reich, now used by the United States to win. The vehicles began to fire, explosions lighting up at the other end of the field. The communists fired back, blasting away some of the invading vehicles. Suddenly Russian hinds were seen flying in the distance, going towards the Americans. The Russians were assisting their North Vietnamese allies.

However, US hueys swooped over their allies and engaged the helicopters after blasting as many enemy vehicles away as they could. Koru shot an enemy gunner of a gunship in the head with his rifle, his body falling out of the helicopter. Kann fired a long burst of his M60 and destroyed the helicopter.

Jets screeched above them, dropping bombs and napalm on the communists only to engage MiG-23s in the air. It was a total vehicle battle, and the American tanks fired again, destroying the enemy artillery. Allied artillery fired into the jungle, killing retreating NVA.

Tigerizza fired a grenade that exploded and killed five retreating enemies, and continued to kill the enemy as her jeep sped down the field quickly. Po opened fire with his machine gun, splitting several enemies in half.

Mitch's tank began to be fired at by a Russian Hind, so he aimed his machine gun up and blasted the helicopter out of the air, its wreckage falling behind his tank. Po blasted an enemy jeep, making it explode and shoot into the air. He looked around and saw the total vehicle charge. He couldn't help but grin at the amazing sight.

They plowed into the jungle, chasing down the retreating forces.

Mitch pulled out his radio. "All units, burn 'em up!"

On command, the jungle was lit on fire by the flames of the tanks, and they continued to move deeper into the jungle, turning the vegetation into an inferno.

Mitch whistled and laughed at the fire burning those inside of it.

"Keep pushing! We're almost to the headquarters of all enemy activity in South Vietnam! We could win the war here!" Po shouted into his radio.

The armored column pushed on, helicopters and jets swooping over there head and aiding them on the ground and also eliminating Russian air support. It was another "unofficial" engagement between the two armies, since no one wanted World War III…except one man.

The group went over several hills, now in the heart of Cambodia, suddenly, Po heard Command on his radio. He put the radio to his ear and his face fell.

"Halt the advance!" He commanded everyone, and they did so.

All of the vehicles stopped, and the helicopters and jets turned back. The blitzkrieg ended.

Mitch got out of his tank and went over to Po.

"Why the hell are we stopping?" He demanded.

"Command has ordered us to halt. If we go any farther the public could find out about this." Po said.

"But we're three miles from the headquarters!"

"I didn't make the call." Po responded.

Mitch growled and walked away, the air crackling with an occasional gunshot.

The forces made camp for the night, not needing any light for the enormous fire that lay on the jungles. Po sat on the barrel of a tank and drank down a beer, tossing the can to the ground. Koru, Kann, Tigerizza, and Mitch sat beside him.

"We were so close." Kann said.

"So close to winning." Koru responded.

Mitch nodded. "A lot of brave men died today. For what? We temporarily severed the HCM Trail but they'll just rebuild it. The only victory was that we kicked serious ass today, both Russian and North Vietnamese. But we could say that about the entire war. But with no real military progress? We're fucked guys, I'm just saying it plain and simple; we're fucked."

"Amen to that." Tigerizza said, crossing her arms.

They sat in silence for several minutes, only hearing the crackle of gunfire occasionally and the sound of the burning forests.

"So…what are you guys doing when these missions are over?" Po asked.

"I'm going to marry the most beautiful woman in the world, Yunwei." Koru responded. "And go back to the States."

Po nodded. "Tigerizza?"

"I'm going to go back to the US with Red." Tigerizza said.

"Oh yeah, you really like him, don't you?" Mitch asked.

Tigerizza smiled. "Yeah."

Mitch nodded. "Kann?"

"I'm going to California and I'm going to marry the love of my life, Song." Kann replied.

Po grinned. "Never saw that one coming."

The group chuckled.

"So, what's our next move?" Koru asked.

"We're going into Red China." Po said. "We're supposed to completely eliminate a group of Chinese and Russian generals. That will hurt their ability to supply the NVA with weapons and supplies."

"Another crusade for our glorious country." Mitch said, the first part slightly sarcastic.

Po had a mindset for their mission. One of the generals had murdered his parents and changed his life forever. He wanted revenge. He would kill General Shen.

**A/N: The US defeats the NVA and Soviets in a large battle but fails to destroy the headquarters. Next chapter: Revenge. Po takes the team into communist China to eliminate high level generals…and putting the entire team in jeopardy by his actions. Please review, share, comment, and please, no flames!**


	15. Revenge

**Kung Fu Panda: Apocalypse Now **by

Mitchicus

Chapter 15: Revenge

**A/N: The conclusion of this epic story draws nearer! What will happen next! **

April 31, 1969.

They had parachuted into the Chinese highlands in the thick of night and the cold of a blizzard. They struggled under the cold when they were in their heavy clothes even, desperately trying to keep their weapons from the cold.

"We need to get to Beijing; now." Po said.

The team buried their parachutes and other gear and went forward, each wielding a suppressed weapon. Mitch once again used an M-16, as well as Po, Tigerizza, and Kann. Koru had a suppressor on his M-14, but all were ready to take them off if things got ugly.

They moved through the mountains, staying in the shadows and keeping a low profile. At last, the capitol was in sight.

"It's going to be hell getting in there." Mitch said. "When we get to the headquarters, Koru will set up a sniping position and cover us as we move in. Once we get the generals killed, we get back to the mountains. Evac will meet us there."

The team nodded and went onto the rooftops, managing to stay out of sight and head towards the capitol. They hopped onto rooftops and darted through alleys, moving forward and seeing the large headquarters in view.

"Shoot everyone you see." Po said. "Koru, wait here and provide sniper fire."

The White Tiger nodded and set down his stuff. The rest of the team went forward, hearing several suppressed shots and seeing guards fall to the ground. They pulled the bodies into the darkness and advanced to the headquarters. The guards outside finally saw them and started an alarm, the team killing the guards before pulling off the suppressors.

They moved forward, Po blasting through the door with his M-16 and killing several enemy combatants. Tigerizza tossed a grenade into another room and killed more, and Kann killed a large group with a burst of his M-16.

"Up the stairs, go, go, go!" Mitch commanded, the team hurrying up.

The tiger knifed a guard coming down the stairs and blasting several more standing near them, the team going up several floors until they came to the room where the generals hid. They killed the guards outside and stepped inside. The generals begged for their lives, the team lining up against the wall facing them.

"Light 'em up. Those are the orders." Mitch said, and the team opened fire, killing each general at point-blank.

Po went through the dead, eagerly looking for the peacock who ruined his life.

"Where the hell is he?" Po demanded.

"We don't have time to hunt him down; we have to get out of here." Kann said.

"You've got a large enemy force heading towards you Po." Koru said on the radio, taking out as many as he could and trying to keep himself alive as well.

"Let's get out of here!" Mitch yelled.

"No, I have to get my revenge." Po said, heading out of the headquarters and turning to them. "Anyone with me?"

The team nodded with descent and Po pulled out his radio.

"Koru, get us a vehicle quickly; we're going after Shen." Po said.

"On it now." Koru said, gunshots heard in the radio.

The team headed out of the headquarters and dove to the ground as more than fifty enemy troops opened fire on them.

"Blow 'em to hell, Ti!" Mitch said.

"With pleasure." Tigerizza said and pulled out an M79, shooting a round at the mass and killing fifteen.

She fired three more grenades, and the team took out the rest of the stragglers. They went onto the road and quickly dove behind sandbags as another large force came towards them.

"Shit, this is bad." Mitch said.

Suddenly, a shell slammed into the communists, making them begin to fall back when another shell slammed into them. The team turned to see a PT-76 tank moving towards them, firing at the retreating forces until they were out of sight. Koru opened the top hatch and popped his head out.

"You wanted a vehicle? Well here it is!" Koru said grinning.

"Nice work." Mitch said as the team got onto the fast yet not well armored tank.

Tigerizza went behind the large turret with Kann and the two crouched to the metal, ready to move. Mitch climbed into the tank with Koru and manned the main cannon, Koru driving the tank and operating the coaxial machine gun. Po went on the 50 caliber machine gun on the top, and the team was ready.

"Step on it!" Po said, the tank moving forward quickly down the street.

A blockade was set up down the road, Chinese soldiers wielding RPGs. Po alerted of the weapons, Tigerizza firing a grenade, Kann and Po shooting his weapons, and Mitch unleashing a tank shell. The blockade was broken, and Koru finished the stragglers. They kept moving, hoping to find Shen.

"Where do we find him?" Kann asked.

"He's a coward; he'll probably be at the airport trying to flee." Po said.

The tank went down the street, heading towards the airport.

"We've got an enemy heli inbound!" Po said, raising his weapon at the helicopter.

Kann fired his M-16 and Po fired his machine gun, the helicopter beginning to smoke until it exploded, its wreckage crashing into a building. Civilians fled from the battle, and the airfield came into view. Another gunship was about to take off but Mitch blasted it with a tank shell, sending burning metal into the air.

"There he is! Full speed towards him!" Po said, seeing the peacock trying to board a helicopter.

The tank crashed through the wall and went onto the airfield, Po jumping off and chasing after Shen, running towards a waiting helicopter. Kann shot the pilot and crew of the helicopter, and Po tackled the peacock. He punched him in the face and flipped him over looking into his eyes.

"Kill me, American." The peacock said, realizing that the American was a panda. "No…I killed all of your kind."

"You missed one." Po growled. "And now it's vengeance for my parents and all that you killed."

"Was your mother the one who moaned like a whore when my men ravaged her, again, and again?" Shen taunted, smiling.

Po yelled in anger and began to strangle the peacock, Shen fighting for breath. Losing all oxygen, Shen went limp and was finally dead. Po spat on his body and stood up, the team hurrying to him and securing another helicopter.

"Come on, get in!" Mitch said, the team piling in and Mitch helping Po in last, closing the door behind him.

Mitch got to the controls.

"Can you fly this thing?" Po asked.

"My skillset is a little rusty but I'll manage." Mitch said, pulling the controls to the side and nearly crashing the helicopter at first.

After a few more seconds however, he got the hang of it and the helicopter lifted off of the ground. Chinese soldiers barged into the area, shooting at the helicopter. Po mounted a machine gun on the door and shot down several of them while Mitch finished the rest with rockets, and the team headed towards the mountains, losing the following enemy forces.

Po took a deep breath and sighed, still in unbelief that he had finally killed the evil peacock.

"Thanks for going in with me guys; that was practically suicide going into that airfield." Po said.

The team smiled.

"We laugh in the face of danger." Mitch answered.

"Hooah. Where to next?" Koru asked.

"The Soviet Union." Po said. "In fact, we're going there right now. Tai Lung has secretly gone against the Soviets, and if we don't stop him from getting these Russian launch codes…it's game over."

**A/N: Po kills Shen and the other designated generals, and the team escapes. Next chapter: Edge of the Abyss. Po and the team head to the Soviet Union to stop Tai Lung from stealing Russian nuclear launch codes, thus creating WWIII if he suceeds. Please review, share, comment, and please, no flames!**


	16. Edge of the Abyss

**Kung Fu Panda: Apocalypse Now **by

Mitchicus

Chapter 16: Edge of the Abyss

**A/N: I'm back! Well, this is the second to last chapter! Thanks for all the support guys!**

May 1, 1969.

The helicopter passed into Russian airspace and the team landed their aircraft on a remote mountain to avoid detection. They buried it in snow and radioed in to Red to evac them with a CH-47, enhanced with a stealth ability that would make him undetected as he piloted it into the heart of Soviet territory.

Po rounded the group together and gathered the weapons.

"An array of mislead fools blinded by their fear of a tyrant; who might I add does not have the decency to show his face in public outside of the printed press." Koru said, thinking of the Soviets.

"Amen to that. We finally get to kick their asses for what they've done." Kann said.

"Team, this is our biggest mission yet." Po said. "If Tai Lung gets these codes, he will launch them against the US. And though Russia is our enemy, it will be nuked as well. It will be Nuclear Warfare and the end of the world as we know it."

"Then let's get to work." Mitch said grinning.

"Good. Let's move." Po said, the group hurrying down the mountain and into the forests of Siberia.

They came to the Russian outpost. It was heavily fortified but isolated to try and hide it from the Americans. Now it was in their sight, but also Tai Lung's sight. They heard the rumble of a tank at the checkpoint to get inside and saw Tai Lung in a jeep behind a T54 tank, Vietcong commandos walking along side it.

The Russians greeted them, not knowing of the Snow Leopard's plans. The commandos stepped forward and suddenly aimed their weapons at the Russians, opening fire and killing them point blank. The tank blasted the gate open with a shell, killing the rest of the Russians there. An alarm began to go off as the North Vietnamese moved into the outpost.

"Well, it'll be easier than I thought." Po said confidently. "Let's move!"

The team went forward, the entire base focused on the new North Vietnamese enemies. The enemy tank plowed into the base and destroyed several jeeps to prevent the Russians from getting transport against them. Po and the team meanwhile rushed to the fence and began to climb, going over the barbed wire and getting inside of the base.

Several enemy combatants noticed them and Po opened fire.

"Shit, they're almost to the command center!" Mitch yelled.

Po looked up and saw Vietnamese communists descending upon it and breaching the building.

"Fuck, let's hurry it up guys!" Po yelled and the team went as fast as they could.

A soldier in a watchtower noticed them and manned a machine gun to only be shot by Koru in the head as they ran. Kann went to the doorway of a barracks and sprayed inside, killing twelve Russians who failed to get out in time.

The team moved forward, Tigerizza tossing a grenade under a jeep as several Russians got in, exploding and killing all of the Soviets. Po shot down several enemy troops as they moved towards them, but the team soon heard rotor blades…enemy rotor blades.

The Mil Mi-2 shot rockets towards the team, Mitch shoving Po to the ground and throwing out of the blast of one rocket, saving his life. The team crouched and opened fire at the helicopter, but the helicopter was not there to engage them.

The Vietcong commandos moved towards them, the team ducking as they began to take fire from another direction. The helicopter landed as Po watched, Tai Lung holding a brief case and going to the door. He turned in Po's direction and grinned, then stepped into the helicopter.

Po got up and took several shots at the helicopter, putting himself in front of enemy fire but being saved by his comrades, who shot down the enemy soldiers. The helicopter took off regardless, and went into the air.

"Now what?" Koru asked.

"I don't know, but we have to get out of here." Po said, loading another magazine into his rifle as bullets whizzed around them.

"The whole base is crawling with commies!" Mitch said, quickly firing over several barrels and killing ten enemies with his rifle.

"I know, but we have something to call in that could help us out greatly…we're gonna bring the rain on 'em."

Meanwhile, Private Andrew went up to the cockpit and heard the radio.

"Hunter 1-7 this is Alpha Squad over!" Po said on the radio.

"This is Hunter 1-7, acknowledged over." The pilot said.

"We've got a large force coming our way! We can't hold them much longer!" Po said, seeing the new army of Russian foes moving on the streets towards the outpost to crush them.

"Roger, coming in to assist. ETA one minute." The pilot said, and turned to the private. "Get to your gun, private."

"Aye sir." Andrew said and went back, seeing his two comrades on a minigun and 20 mm cannon.

The plane had just recently entered service, and it was still proving its worth. The minigun was being tested to stay with the plane, as the package did not include it. If it was a success with the two other weapons, it would be used in more types.

Andrew hi-fived privates Ryan and Jace, and went to his weapon; a 40 mm Bofors cannon.

"You guys set back there?" The pilot asked.

"Affirmative." Andrew said as he and his fellow gunners looked into their sights at the Russian landscape.

The AC-130A was on its way, but Po and the others would still have to hold back an army for under a minute.

"Here they come!" Po yelled, seeing several tanks smash through the wall of part of the outpost and turn their guns towards them.

The team jumped up and sprinted away from the spot, the tanks firing and missing the team. Po and the others panted and suddenly heard the rumble of the plane, seeing it in the sky performing a bank in order to give its gunners the proper angle.

"Open fire!" The pilot yelled.

Andrew fired several shots of his cannon, blasting the tanks to bits.

His friends fired the 20 mm and minigun into the masses of Russian troops, Po and the others watching as all hell was rained down on the Russians. Andrew put in new shells and fired down the road, killing all in his path and his allies doing the same.

Po and the team got up and moved forward, now feeling more secure under the gunship's fire. They shot down the enemy troops that faced them when they heard a CH-47 descending, Po looking up and seeing it to be Red's. He grinned and shot down several more of the Soviets as the helicopter landed, Mason firing out the side at the communists and killing several.

"I figure that we didn't get it?" Red asked.

"Nope." Po said solemnly.

"Well get in; we still have a chance." Red said.

The team got into the helicopter and the door was closed behind them, the CH-47 beginning to take off.

"We think Tai Lung is heading to Hanoi; that means that he won't think we can get in there and stop him; let's prove him wrong, shall we?" Jason asked grinning.

"The bastard deserves to die. And that death will come soon." Po said confidently.

The helicopter went out of Soviet territory and landed on a classified aircraft carrier in the Pacific, Po and the team getting out and seeing a large force of Marines heading to hueys, out to go on another mission. It made him think of the old days fighting with Barracuda. Po somewhat missed those days compared to the even more high risk missions that they were on.

Red got out quickly and showed Po and the team a map of Hanoi.

"You and the team will be sent into North Vietnam by a vehicle drop on the coast, and you will move to Hanoi with stealth or by killing everyone you see." Red said, showing him where they would land. "You'll find Tai Lung in Hanoi, kill him, and find a way out of Hanoi if you can."

"So you may not even be able to evac us?" Tigerizza asked.

Red sighed and nodded.

"So it's a suicide mission pretty much?" Kann asked, Red nodding again.

"Well, at least we'll die for the right cause." Kann said.

Koru nodded. "We'll kill him, and we'll be fine with knowing that we saved the world that way."

"It's almost over." Po said nodding. "Almost over."

**A/N: Po and the team fail to stop Tai Lung from stealing the codes, and the fate of the world is in their hands. Next chapter: Hanoi Endgame. Going into the North Vietnamese capitol, none of the team expect to come out alive. However, they have one goal; kill Tai Lung and stop WWIII. The end has begun. Please review, share, comment, and please, no flames!**


	17. Hanoi Endgame

**Kung Fu Panda: Apocalypse Now **by

Mitchicus

Chapter 17: Hanoi Endgame

**A/N: Well guys, this is it. The final chapter. I thank XxFlameheartxX, taskarthetwisted, Tigerizza, and SilverTigerDirector for letting me use their characters, but also everyone else's OCs that were used in this story. Thank you for letting me use them, and be sure to check out the three authors mentioned here's stories. As a wise man once told me, all good things must come to an end. This is what I said about Po Pilgrim. Now I say it again about Apocalypse Now. Thank you all for continuing to read my stories and support me. This story, though it is behind Po Pilgrim in views overal, has surpassed Po Pilgrim in reviews, with only seventeen chapters compared to Po Pilgrim's thirty. It's been a great ride, but it doesn't end here; the story ends, but the journey with you guys continues. And now, on to the final chapter of Kung Fu Panda: Apocalypse Now!**

May 2, 1969.

It was almost over. The fate of their country, the free world, and possibly the entire world rested on their shoulders. One final mission. One final battle. None planned to come home alive, and all were ready to die if it meant the death of a single general; General Tai Lung.

"Is everything ready?" Po asked, seeing Kann and Tigerizza pick up the large crate with a struggle and place it in the Russian armored car.

"That was the last of it." Kann said, popping his knuckles.

"We don't have much time; he could activate the codes soon." Po said.

Mitch pulled off his jacket and put on a sleeveless one, then put on a flak jacket. He tossed another flak jacket to Po and the panda caught it, putting it on himself. The White Tiger went on one knee and murmured his prayers, Koru doing his in private. When they had finished, they loaded their weapons.

Po loaded an M60 for himself and also put his M-16 over his shoulder. Tigerizza and Kann took CAR-15s and Koru took an M14 Assault, his normal rifle now obsolete in the combat they would see.

"Mitch, don't get a weapon; you're weapon is in the box." Po grinned.

"Oh, surprises; I can't wait." Mitch said smirking.

"Alright, let's go guys!" Po said, everyone getting into the armored vehicle.

They closed the two heavy doors to the back and waited, hearing the CH-47 take off and hook on to the top of the car.

"We're away." Koru said as they felt the armored car be lifted off of the aircraft carrier, Po opening a hatch and seeing that they were now being pulled over the ocean, closer to their destination.

The team cleaned their weapons, and meditated on the fact that this was their last mission, whether they made it out or not. And if they made it out once it was over, Vietnam would be a thing of the past. They would never venture back to the war there.

Po pulled out a picture of his loved one from his jacket, looking at the only picture of Tigress that he had brought with him. He stroked her face on the picture, remembering how he had been able to stroke her cheek and look into her loving yet intimidating eyes. He was going to go back to her, and not even the entire North Vietnamese army was going to stop him.

He loaded his M1911 and twirled it with one hand, then put it back into its holster. Tigerizza looked out the hatch and saw the coastline in view.

"We're almost there." She confirmed. "I can see the coast line."

"Confirmed." Mitch said, and turned to Po. "Can I see what weapon I've got as a present?"

"Wait until we're about to go into combat." Po said laughing.

"Very well." Mitch said and sat back down.

They reached the coast of North Vietnam and the helicopter dropped the car to the sand, flying back to the ship.

"We're on our own now." Po said and put his foot on the gas, driving it into the jungle.

They found the assigned path and went through, taking a long journey until the city of Hanoi came into view. They hid in the dense jungle when Kann, Tigerizza, and Koru got out of the car.

"Stick according to the plan; we'll see you there." Mitch said.

"Good luck." Koru said, and saluted to him.

The tiger returned the salute and the car went towards the city, ready to get in as far as they could before the North Vietnamese realized that they were not NVA regulars, but US Special Forces. Mitch looked back at his team as they went into the jungle, waiting to go after the car entered the city. The armored car went through at a low speed, not drawing any attention at first.

Then they came to a checkpoint, where they slowed down and came to a stop. A tiger wielding an AK-47 walked to the side of the armored car and before he said a word, he was shot in the head, his body falling to the ground. The other guards looked up only to be shot by Po, and the panda put his foot on the pedal as hard as he could, the car lurching forward and smashing through the checkpoint, speeding forward. A siren began to go off as the car sped down the street, civilians screaming and running into the buildings.

Several NVA regulars came in front of them and began to open fire with their rifles, Po and Mitch ducking as the bullets broke the glass and whizzed around them. Po continued to drive however, and smashed into the guards, killing them. Po and Mitch closed the hatches to the side windows as it drove, NVA troops trying to fire upon the armored car but not piercing its sides.

"Aw shit." Po said, seeing a roadblock of other armored cars in front of them, and a line of NVA troops standing in front of them.

Po pulled the wheel hard to the right, nearly flipping the car and pulling it into an alley. Mitch looked at Po and nodded.

"Time to see your new weapon." Po said, and he and Mitch went into the armored back of the car.

Po picked up his M60 and checked it, and reloaded his pistol. The two put on flak jackets and extra armor as well. They heard the NVA shouting orders to retreat or be shot, but they were not going to be back down.

"This is it, Mitch. This is the end. It's payback time."

"Hell yeah; can't wait to put a bullet in that fat ass of his." Mitch said and opened the crate, his eyes widening at the weapon.

He struggled at first to pick it up but finally got it, and waited next to the door.

"You ready?" Mitch asked, the group hearing them unlock the back doors to the armored car, seconds away from combat.

"Let's kick some ass." Po said confidently.

The doors opened and Po and Mitch fired, blasting the two unfortunate soldiers to pieces. Mitch jumped out first and opened fire with his M134 minigun, blasting all of the soldiers around them to pieces. The other soldiers retreated to the armored cars, but Mitch walked forward and opened fire with the powerful weapon, making all of the armored cars explode and killing those around them.

"Let's go, move, move, move!" Mitch said, beginning to go as fast as he could with the weight of the minigun.

"Enemies in the ally! I got 'em!" Po said and tossed a grenade into another alley, the two hearing a yell before the explosion.

"Keep going go forward!" Po yelled.

Three jeeps came down the road towards them, Po making two explode and shoot into the air and Mitch finishing the last one. They kept moving, Mitch clearing a path with the minigun through all of their enemies. Thirty NVA troops came onto the road and began firing at them, Po and Mitch being hit several times but not being wounded due to their armor.

Mitch fired his minigun, blasting the group to pieces and the two stepping over the group's remains.

"Enemy hind, take it out!" Mitch called out, the two beginning to fire up at the helicopter before it could fire.

The helicopter began to smoke, but fired its weapons. Po and Mitch ducked and went to the sides of the road before Po pulled out his pistol and held his breath, taking one shot. He shot the pilot in the head, the helicopter beginning to spin with no control and crash into a nearby building.

"Come on, keep going!" Po said, coming to another street when they ducked behind it again, a PT-76 tank beginning to fire at them.

Suddenly, a rocket fired and the tank exploded, Po looking up to see Tigerizza grinning with an M72 LAW in her hands. Po saluted to her and Mitch turned the corner, shooting several more of the enemies. One wounded soldier, whom the two did not see, grabbed his rifle and aimed it at Po, only to be shot in the head by Koru just as he was about to shoot.

Kann shot down five enemies waiting for them in an alley with his rifle, and motioned them forward. Kann, Koru, and Tigerizza moved to another rooftop, following the two and giving them cover fire. Mitch dropped his minigun after killing several more enemies, out of ammo.

"Po, give me your M60!" Mitch yelled, and Po did so, tossing him the weapon and Mitch catching it.

Po pulled out his M16 and the two continued on, the panda turning the corner and hip-firing into a group of five enemy troops. They kept moving, beginning to see a large group of enemy troops controlling a tall building, the group knowing that they were protecting Tai Lung.

"We're almost through." Po said as they ducked behind a wall, the NVA beginning to fire upon them.

Mitch mounted his M60 in a hole in the wall and began to fire, shooting down several enemies and making them fall to the ground from the tall building. Koru meanwhile was shooting down the enemies and trying to thin their lines, but soon all of the enemies were firing upon him.

"Koru, RPG!" Po yelled, the White Tiger's eyes widening as he saw several RPG rockets going towards him.

He jumped off of the building and rolled to another roof as the rockets slammed into the rooftop where he once was, destroying the building completely. Koru nodded to Po in thanks for the save and continued to fire at the enemy. Tigerizza pulled out a grenade launcher and fired into the building, blowing part of it up and killing ten enemies. Kann fired and killed eleven with his AK-47 that tried to sneak behind their positions.

"Come one, we have to break through now! Otherwise the entire North Vietnamese Army is going to be after us!" Mitch yelled.

Po nodded. "Let's do this!"

The two went out of their cover and began to run, bullets whizzing by their feet. Po fired his grenade launcher and killed several, then threw a grenade into one window. The grenade exploded and killed five more. Mitch opened fire with his M60, killing seven and critically wounding five others. They reached the doorway and came into the first room, Po hip-firing into it and killing all of the soldiers there.

Koru, Kann, and Tigerizza looked down at them.

"Get the hell out of here! Radio in extract and meet at the river! If we don't get there in eight minutes get the hell out of here!" Po yelled.

The three nodded.

"Got it. Good luck Po." Koru said, the three shooting several more final shots before pulling back.

Po and Mitch got to the bottom of the stairs and after seeing it was clear for the most part, they pulled off their armor so they could have better mobility.

"Alright, go, go, go!" Po said as he and his best friend ran up the stairs, the panda tossing a grenade into the next floor and killing several more.

They cleared the floor and moved up, clearing several more floors until they came to the last floor, before the roof. They saw Tai Lung run up the stairs, and they fired at him but missed. His last soldiers began to fire upon them, Po and Mitch ducking behind cover and reloading their weapons.

"Camp Chun, Kunee…it's all going to be avenged." Mitch said.

"Let's make it happen then." The two jumped up, firing at the large number of enemy troops as they returned fire.

Po and Mitch took several shots to the chest, but this did not keep them from killing the rest of the soldiers.

"He's going to the helipad! He's going to escape!" Po yelled, the two beginning to hear a helicopter nearing the building.

They kept running, time slowing as they turned their heads to see a Mil Mi-2 looking straight at them.

"Get down!" Po yelled, but it was too late.

It fired a rocket that shot into the room, exploding in between them. Po and Mitch were sent to the ground by the explosion, the helicopter firing in on them with more armament. The room began to slant as the supports were destroyed, Po realizing that his weapon and Mitch's had been swept off of the building. He pulled out his pistol and fired three shots at the helicopter, the glass breaking slightly and making it pull away, now focused on evacuating the evil general.

"You alright?" Po asked and turned to Mitch, his eyes widening.

An ex-bar stuck out of his chest, the tiger having blood flowing out of his mouth.

"Mitch…"

"Leave me…don't let him get away!" Mitch said through gritted teeth, trying to pull out the ex-bar.

Po nodded, but still felt that his friend would die while he was gone. Nevertheless, his friend wanted him to finish the job and save his country no matter what. Po holstered his pistol and got up quickly, sprinting as fast as he could even with his wounds. He plowed open the door to the roof and saw the helicopter taking off, but he would not let it get away.

As it got away from the roof, he jumped and grabbed onto the helicopter as it tried to pull away. Tai Lung saw him and pulled out a pistol, trying to shoot the panda through the glass, but Po dodged his bullets. The pilot finally pulled out a gun but was shot in the head by Po, stopping his escape but putting him at jeopardy. The dead pilot slumped onto the controls and the helicopter began to spiral downwards.

Tai Lung growled and opened up the side door, trying to get out of the helicopter before it crashed. They jumped off and landed on the ground, Po's ribs cracking from the fall. The helicopter exploded and Po covered his face from the blast, seeing Tai Lung get up and look at a knife on the ground between them. Po crawled towards it, and Tai Lung limped towards it.

It was a race for the knife, each reaching it at the same time. Po grabbed the knife only to have his hand stomped on and making him drop the knife, Tai Lung picking it up and glaring down at him.

"Goodbye, panda." Tai Lung said and raised the knife.

Suddenly, two shots barely missed Tai Lung, making the Snow Leopard turn to see Mitch struggling towards him, firing his M1911. He fired another shot and the bullet went through his shoulder, Tai Lung growling in pain. Mitch's pistol clicked and he dropped the empty weapon and limped towards Tai Lung.

Mitch punched Tai Lung in the face but was too weak to continue fighting. Tai Lung grabbed him and hit him three times in the face, then kicked him to the ground.

"I should have made sure that you died in Kunee." Tai Lung said and pulled out a pistol.

Po yelled in a fury and tackled Tai Lung, the gun going off and shooting into the air before rolling to the ground. The panda punched him several times, then grabbed his chest and slammed him back down on the hard ground.

Tai Lung roared as he grabbed Po's hand before he could punch him again and punched him in the face, knocking him off of him and sending him to the ground. He went on top of Po and began to choke the panda, Po's light beginning to fade. Mitch could not fight, and watched in horror as his friend was strangled.

Po's eyes darted to the right of him as he saw the knife and began to reach for it, his fingers only brushing against its grip.

"It's over, panda." Tai Lung said grinning. "And you can't stop me now."

"We'll see about that." Po said and finally grabbed the knife, thrusting it into the leopard's side.

Tai Lung grunted, his eyes widening. Po twisted the blade in his flesh and increased the pain.

"That's for Camp Chun." Po said, and thrust the rest of the blade into him. "That's for Kunee."

Blood began to pour out of Tai Lung's mouth, and he fell on top of Po, the panda rolling off of him. Tai Lung was finally dead. He went to the leopard and pulled out of his uniform the codes, thus finishing the conflict. After doing so, he walked slowly to Mitch, the tiger propping himself up with one arm and coughing.

"Get to the evac, let me take as many as I can." Mitch said.

"I didn't come back to this hell hole for you to stay behind again." Po said, and helped Mitch up.

"I'm dead weight…I can't fricking move hardly." Mitch said.

"I'll manage." Po said, putting Mitch's arm around his shoulder for support as he helped Mitch move away.

They went into the street when bullets began to fly around them, Po and Mitch diving behind a car and taking cover.

"It's over. It's FUBAR." Po said.

Suddenly they heard another helicopter and saw a huey fire rockets into the enemy troops, blasting them with its miniguns afterwards.

"Someone need a hand?" Red asked on the radio.

"Red, you son of a bitch." Po said laughing.

"We'll cover you; move up, the rest of the team is waiting at the river; we can't evac until we get to the mountains, and a CH-57 will do that for you; we're just here to support."

"No man left behind." Jason added.

"Understood, out." Po said, and helped Mitch up. "Let's go!"

The two went as fast as they could down the street, NVA regulars beginning to chase them from behind. Mason opened fire with the door gun M60, dropping the enemies to the ground and making them focus their attention to the helicopter. The helicopter banked and went over the two Americans, blasting the remaining forces there with rockets.

"Keep moving!" Po yelled, the two hurrying as Red, Jason, and Mason covered them.

Mason continued to fire, shooting down ten enemies.

"I never got a chance to say this to you guys but, it's been an honor serving." Mason said smiling back at the two of them, then beginning to fire again.

Suddenly two bullets hit the helicopter, going straight into Mason's chest.

"Mason!" Red yelled, seeing Mason slump against the door.

"My God…Mason is dead! Mason is dead!" Red said on the radio.

Po and Mitch's eyes widened at the loss of their friend, but they had to keep going.

"How much farther…are we to the river?" Po asked.

"Only a few more streets and you'll be there! Koru, Kann, and Ti are waiting for you!"

"Understood." Po said.

The two went forward, Red firing all the weapons he had to protect them. They came to the last street, where a single building in front of them kept them from passing. Machine guns lined all of the windows, as well as RPGs. Red opened fire on the building, but did not destroy all of it, for his ammo had run out.

"Po…I'm out of ammo." Red said.

"Get out of here Red, we'll find another way." Po said.

"Negative." Red said, and turned to Jason who nodded in knowing of what they would do next. "We're going to clear the way to the river."

"Red, no! That's suicide!"

"It's not suicide when you go down for your friends. Tell Tigerizza I love her." Red said.

"Un…understood." Po said.

"Goodbye, Po; it was an honor serving with you." Red said, and changed the frequency, switching to the main US frequency.

All of the US military was hearing this broadcast. Red turned the helicopter and headed straight for the building, the soldiers inside beginning to fire. Red and Jason were shot several times, but they kept on flying towards it.

"This is Captain "Red" Jefferson and Corporal Jason Strifenz, 1st Air Cavalry HOOAH!"

The two closed their eyes before the helicopter slammed into the building, exploding. The flames and explosion consumed the building, and all of those inside. Po and Mitch slowly got up and went forward crossing a long bridge as NVA began to come from behind them, shooting at them.

A jeep came out of the jungle, Kann firing a 50 cal. Machine Gun into the troops as Po and Mitch got inside. Tigerizza was in the side with a grenade launcher, still ready to fight but deeply saddened by the loss of her loved one. Koru looked at them from the driver's seat and nodded.

"I see we did it." Koru said.

"Not out of it yet." Po said grinning, and Koru put his foot on the gas the car going as fast as it could down the road in the jungle.

They soon heard the sound of other motors as other jeeps began to chase them, firing their weapons at the troops. Kann destroyed two jeeps with his machine gun, while Po picked up Kann's rifle and began to shoot down the enemy troops as well. Tigerizza destroyed several jeeps, and the jeep continued going, Koru navigating it down the steep roads.

The roads were so steep that several enemy jeeps slammed into trees, exploding and killing all inside. The group kept going, eventually coming to a field where several tanks waited for them. Koru's eyes widened and he made a hard turn to the left, taking shelter behind one tank as the others fired, destroying the enemy tank accidently.

Koru kept driving the vehicle, Po blowing up several enemy vehicles while explosions shot up around them from the tanks. A CH-57 landed far in front of them, its rear door opening to them as its rotors still were on full blast.

"This is it! Hang on!" Po yelled, and the jeep went into the CH-57's back ramp and into the helicopter, the helicopter beginning to climb and fly away.

The rear door closed, and Po took a deep breath. It was over. That was their last mission. The crew inside of the helicopter provided medical care for Po and Mitch, the doctor concluding that Mitch's chest wound from the ex-bar would never heal; he would only a few years left to live.

"Better a few with Ryu than none." Mitch said laughing, cheering up his sad comrades.

The helicopter landed on an aircraft carrier where the team's wounds were patched, and the team debriefed, giving the codes to a high ranking CIA operative.

"Excellent work." The agent said. "You have done your country proud; we could use you again."

"We're done with this war, but thanks for the offer." Po said.

"If you are called back, it will not be about this war or the Cold War; but something that few know of."

The team boarded a final plane headed back for the United States, and they looked out of the window to see Vietnam vanishing behind them. It was over, and they would probably never see the country again. They won every single battle, both the team and their country, but the war would be lost by the politicians, the protesters, and the seemingly endless enemy troops. Now it would be just a memory.

The plane landed in California, just as it had years prior. And waiting for them were Tigress, Yunwei, Song, and Ryu; who was not expecting her husband to return, but only planning to find out how he died.

The plane's back door opened, and the team stepped out. Mitch slowly went out, and when Ryu and he made eye-contact, their eyes widened and they ran to each other, pulling the other in an embrace. Tigress tackled Po, and Yunwei gave Koru a bear hug, each eager to see their husband. Tigerizza was sad, for no one knew her and came to see her, but Po, Mitch, Koru, and Kann introduced her to their loves and made her feel a part of the family, a family brought together by the brotherhood of those who shed their blood alongside each other in combat.

Po married Tigress and had two children, going back to finish college and becoming an attorney. He lived a happy life with his wife and kids and took pride in his service for his country.

Mitch had one son with Ryu, and fulfilled the dream that he once had of becoming an Orthopedic Surgeon. Seven years after they returned from the final battle in Hanoi, he died from a heart failure, only thirty-four. However, he lived the rest of his life to the fullest and could not wish for a better life with his wife, and held his military service as the highest honor he ever had.

Kann married Song and had three children with her, staying in a dream house on the Golden Coast for the rest of his life. He considered his service to be his duty for both Vietnam and the United States, and was saddened at the takeover of the country in 1975.

Koru married Yunwei and had two children with her, staying in military service but not being deployed back to Vietnam. He believed his service in Vietnam to be a worthy crusade, unfortunately twisted by the politicians and the not understanding American public.

All enjoyed their lives in peace, and their country (though not the people until later) thanked them for their service. They went in for their country and gave their all, and 57,000 gave the ultimate sacrifice; their lives.

"**The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion – that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." –Abraham Lincoln**

**THE END**

**A/N: And there you have it, the end. I hope that it brought back memories of how it began and made you love it just as you loved the first chapter. Will there be an extension to this in October actually? Find out on my Deviantart page, or even MY WEBSITE! Yeah, that's right! Webtoolz Productions, a group of fans for me has created a website for me in order to further my outreach to more and more people! Go to "www. mitchicus. webs. com" to get to it! Thanks to Thomas and Webtoolz's collaboration! Don't even think that the journey's over, because as long as I have good ideas, I'll never stop! Please keep reading my stories and be sure to share with friends!**

**About the author: **Mitchell A. L. (middle and last name classified) currently resides in the southern region of the United States (with NO Southern accent), and plans to become an Orthopedic Surgeon once he gets to college. He first wrote for school when in Second Grade, and teachers, students, friends, etc. have complimented him on his writing skills since then. Once the second movie of Kung Fu Panda hit theatres, he knew that he would one day write about the story but he did not know when until that December, when he came across . He saw this as an oppurtunity to write and get people's feedback (his primary goal in writing) and wrote his first stories, not truly receiving success for its controversial views in the love interest. Then he made Po Pilgrim, the first HUGE hit for him. Reviews flooded in, and Mitch knew that he would keep on writing on FanFiction. Having a deep interest in the Vietnam War, he wrote Apocalypse Now recently, as well as several other stories that ranged from humor to Po Pilgrim-like stories. Also, he now writes a story on the movie "Ice Age", receiving higher reviews than Apocalypse Now even with only eight chapters out. He continues to write to this day, his true passion now. Once he gets the right requirements, he plans to make the next, real best-selling book on an original topic.

**A/N: Not to spoil too much but there will be another modern KFP story, so you know. And if you enjoyed this or Po Pilgrim, you will love my next story; Kung Fu Panda: The Rise of Gryve. Put Po Pilgrim and Apocalypse Now into one and you have this action packed story, to be released around the month of December. Be sure to check out my hit Ice Age story and Kung Fu Panda: Harassing The Tiger, my two projects right now. I may release The Rise of Gryve earlier if I have to as well. See you starside, and God bless you all. Please review, share, comment, and please, no flames!**


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